YP Letters: If the craft beer bubble bursts, we'll still enjoy a proper pint

I READ with alarm your headline ‘Shareholder in bid to oust family from brewery’ (The Yorkshire Post, November 17).

As a resident of the lower Dales, I retired from the Square Mile in December 1991 and purchased the Post Office and stores in West Burton.

Since then, for over 20 years I have been acquainted with both the Theakston duo – stalwarts Simon and Paul – due to the fact that for over two decades they have partaken in the annual Licensed Victualers bike ride, along with sponsored personnel from both breweries who are given a day off in June.

As an avid listener to Radio Four, I tuned in to Evan Davis introducing three guests on his business programme The Bottom Line at 8.30pm on November 15.

The chairman of an international distribution and brewing company represented the “big league” in the drinks industry, but there was also a lady farmer from Suffolk who is involved in the growing of fruits and herbs and is currently distilling flavoured gin.

Initially it was a cottage industry, but now business is booming.

I was eager to learn of the success of the third guest; another lady who is involved in brewing beer in the Greenwich area of London. At this juncture I recall frequenting the wine bars of Holborn and the City pubs in the 1980s (red braces plus Porsche) listening to the conversations of the metropolitan elite. Up in these parts, “we enjoy a pint” but, sure enough, out came the trendy jargon.

In Greenwich, the lady declared that she was proud to be brewing ‘craft beer’ and pronounced that it could easily be sold for £8 per pint in the Square Mile.

Ironically, David Nabarro, an ex-merchant banker, reportedly stated in your columns: “In an age where there is so much craft beer being produced across the UK, people will pay a premium price for something that is very special.”

To his credit, Evan Davis asked if this scenario that we are currently witnessing could be a fad and if the craft beer bubble could burst.

The two ladies promptly reacted to this statement and proclaimed that “crafted produce” gave one an “experience”.

I am now becoming increasingly annoyed at the new jargon emerging from the social networking generation.

We are quite happy above the Watford Gap to be left to get on with producing excellent products.