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23 Canada Road
Walmer
01304 362411
www.theberrywalmer.co.uk
Originally the "Royal Arms" but
changed to the "Green Beret" after 1913.
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From the Dover Express, 25 June, 2009.
It's Berry fine beer served at this pub.
Second Camra award for young landlord
A LANDLORD from Walmer is celebrating after his business was named Pub
of the Year in Deal, Dover and Sandwich for the second year running.
Chris Barnes, who runs The Berry in Canada Road with his girlfriend
Harriet Campling, told the Express he is delighted to have been
recognised by the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.
The 26-year-old took over the pub four years ago after a stint working
for brewery chain Greene King in London, and his aim was to turn the
venue into a traditional boozer boasting a wide range of quality real
ales.
Chris said: "The award is something that's valued in this area so
we are really pleased to have come out on top. A lot of our success is down to the fact it's a really family-run place
and we have also got a great bunch of regulars who have been with us
from day one.
"When we started we had people drinking lagers, but they have seen real
ale growing and now many have converted."
The Berry now offers a selection of five ales which changes regularly;
in fact the pub is about to offer its 500th real ale, which is being
specially brewed by Nelson Brewery to mark the milestone. It should be
on tap in time for the presentation of the pub's award on July 6.
Unlike many pubs which have tried to branch out into areas like food in
a bid to lure in new customers; Chris and Harriet, helped along by
Chris's
parents Malcolm and Bev, have stuck with a tried and tested recipe.
As
well as brilliant beers, the pub also offers drinkers a range of
traditional drinking games like dominoes and skittles. It is a mix which
has been popular with Camra members in the district.
Tony Wells, the
Deal, Dover and Sandwich branch's pubs officer, said:
"The pubs are judged on criteria such as customer service, decor,
clientele mix, value for money, and the quality of their real ale.
"This is the second year in succession that The Berry has won the Pub of
the Year. This reflects the hard work that Chris has put into promoting
real ale and real cider at The Berry and within the community."
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From the Dover Mercury, Thursday 28 March 2010.
LANDLORD ENJOYS THE SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS
By Sue Briggs.
RATHER than champagne corks popping, a pint of real ale was pulled
instead to celebrate a trio of victories at a Walmer pub. For the third
year in succession The "Berry," in Canada Road, has won the Deal, Dover,
Sandwich and district CAMRA branch Pub of the Year award.
Landlord Chris Barnes, 27, said:
"I am very pleased and delighted with the win, especially three times in
a row." He has been at The Berry for five years and has always been in
the pub business, since enjoying his work experience in the trade. Tony
Wells, the pubs officer for the Campaign for Real Ale branch, said: "The
Berry just goes from strength to strength and shows what can be achieved
if you put the right person behind the bar. "Chris understands what a
good real ale pub should be all about. I firmly believe he rightly
deserves this award as it reflects the hard work he has been doing in
serving good quality real ale and cider as well as supporting CAMRA's
aims. "Just being selected for entry into the competition is no mean
feat. The pub has to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to quality real
ale throughout the year." Mr Wells added that Chris, who has been at The
"Berry" since 2005, had enjoyed remarkable success. Within a year he gained
entry into CAMRA's Good Beer Guide and became eligible for the POTY
award. By 2008, he had won it for the first time. Having won the local award,
The "Berry" now goes forward
into CAMRA's East Kent Pub of the Year competition. The POTY
presentation takes place on Saturday, June 5. |
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From the Dover Mercury, Thursday 28 March 2010.
GREAT MUSICAL FUSION NEARLY DID NOT HAPPEN
THIS year's Deal Maritime Folk Festival was put together very late
and nearly did not happen. What we ended up with was a great fusion of
traditional folk and dance with the new folk scene with some world
class, world music.
Its real success however is due to those hundred dancers, singers and
musicians who played their hearts out over the weekend and for free.
Without them and their love of music, the festival just would not happen
and the special event that it is for the town would have been lost.
There are a long list of overdue thank-yous: to all the venues which
responded so well, the many volunteers who helped with raffles, ran the
events at the pubs, shops who took our posters and of course the great
coverage given to us by our local press.
We think the event is an important one for our town and we want it
continue. To this end are calling an open meeting at 7pm on Sunday,
October 31, at The "Green Berry," Canada Road, Walmer, and ask all those
will an interest to attend. Cocos Lovers, The Deal Hoodeners, Driftwood,
the local bands who helped organise the Deal Maritime Folk Festival
The Old Lone Gin Band at the Bohemian during Deal Folk Festival
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From the Dover Express, 28 October, 2010.
CIDER MONTH ENDS
A WALMER pub is hosting an event to mark the end of the Campaign for
Real Ale's (CAMRA) cider month.
There will be lots of great real cider and perry to try at "The
Berry" in Canada Road on Saturday afternoon from 3pm.
Tony Wells, the local branch's pubs officer, told the Express real
cider is a far cry from the chilled, fizzy keg cider on offer in pubs
and bars across the country.
He said: "I was a cider virgin until I attended CAMRA Thanet's cider
festival and have truly been converted. Real cider isn't chilled and is
not all fizzed up and the tastes and flavours are wide ranging."
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From the Dover Mercury, 16June, 2011.
70p
THE BERRY IS THE PICK OF THE BUNCH IN EAST KENT
 A JAR of American Pale Ale was pulled, raised and drunk by Chris
Barnes to mark a special day at his Walmer public house.
The Berry in Canada Road, Walmer, has been named CAMRA East Kent Pub
of the Year 2011, against other bars in the Canterbury, Ash, Folkestone,
Romney Marsh, Faversham and Thanet area.
The win was no small beer for Mr Barnes, who described the
achievement as great news.
He added: "It is quite a big win and I am going to celebrate with a
jar of real ale - Dark Star American Pale Ale.
"I would like to thank all for their support We couldn't have done it
without you!" Chris and his team won numerous real ale and real cider
awards in 2010 and has now won the CAMRA East Kent Pub of the Year for
the fourth year in succession. CAMRA Dover and Sandwich branch pub
officer Tony Wells said: "This award recognises the top pub based on its
real ale, welcome, service, atmosphere, decor, customer mix, support for
CAMRA aims and overall value.
"Chris and The Berry represent the community pub at its best; a great
welcome, a friendly atmosphere and a fantastic range of good quality
real ales and ciders.
''The future of the community pub is uncertain with excessive taxes
and irresponsible alcohol retailing by the supermarkets. So it is great
to see that it is still possible to find a successful community pub."
Mr Barnes has been at The Berry for six years and has served more
than 1,100 different real ales to his customers.
Change of name after school closed
The pub in Canada Road, Walmer, changed its name from the "Green
Beret" to the "Green Berry" in 1996 after the closure of the Royal
Marines School of Music in Deal, and again in 2004 to the "Berry".
According to The Old Pubs of Deal and Walmer (with Kingsdown and
Mongeham) by Steve GIover and Michael Rogers. In the early 1960s one of
the horses from the barracks was photographed attempting to buy a pint.
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From the Dover Mercury, 5 April, 2012. 80p
TOP PUB FIFTH YEAR RUNNING
CHEERS: Chris Barnes of The Berry has won a CAMRA award for the fifth
year running Picture: Martin Apps PD2013370
LANDLORD Chris Barnes pulled a pint of real ale for himself to
celebrate winning a top pub of the year award for the fifth time in a
row.
Chris, who runs The "Berry" in Canada Road, Walmer, has achieved the
Deal, Dover, Sandwich and District CAMRA branch accolade again.
He treated himself to a West Coast IPA from Gadds Ramsgate Brewery to
mark his success.
"I am quite chuffed to win five times in succession. At The "Berry"
we just try to create the sort of pub where we would be happy if we were
on the other side of the bar... to have a nice atmosphere, nice beer,
good service and pleasant people."
The pub has featured in Good Beer Guides and won a few titles,
including Kent Cider Pub of the Year 2010.
CAMRA branch pubs officer Tony Wells said: "Five times a winner is an
amazing achievement. It seems that Chris and the staff at The "Berry"
are doing everything right.
"The Berry is a community pub in the true sense of the word with a
great welcome, great service and a convivial atmosphere in which to
enjoy the fantastic real ales and real ciders they have on offer."
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From the Dover Express, Thursday, 21 June, 2012. 65p.
BERRY NAMED AS A PUB TREASURE
WALMER: The Deal, Dover, Sandwich and District branch of the Campaign
for Real Ale (Camra) has presented the 2012 Branch Pub of the Year award
to Chris Barnes, landlord of The "Berry" in Canada Road.
The "Berry" has now scooped the award for five years in a row,
breaking the previous record held by The "Mogul"
in Chapel Place, Dover, which is now closed.
Martin Atkins, chairman of the local Camra branch, said: “Chris is an
enthusiastic supporter of real ale and his hard work and commitment is
reflected in this award.
“Praise should also go to the landlords of the "Carpenter's
Arms," Coldred, The "Red Cow,"
Sandwich, and The "Ship Inn," Deal, who
were all nominated.”
The Berry also picked up the runner-up award for Kent Cider Pub of
the Year 2012.
This means Chris has now received 11 certificates or awards since he
took over the Berry in 2005.
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From the Dover Express, Thursday, 9 May, 2013. 70p.
THE Berry in Walmer has been named CAMRA branch pub of the year for
the sixth time running. Landlord Chris Barnes said he was delighted.
“Our pub is a traditional ale house with excellent award-winning ales
and our aims are to keep the standard at the highest possible,” he said.
“I'm a huge real ale enthusiast, so if the beer isn't up to standard
I wont sell it.”
The runners-up were the "Crispin Inn"
in Sandwich, the "George &
Dragon" in Sandwich, the "Just
Reproach" in Deal and the "Prince
Albert" in Deal.
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From the Dover Mercury, 6 June, 2013. 80p.
PUB WINS CAMRA ACCOLADE
THERE is nowhere better to go in east Kent for a glass of cider, or
real ale, than a Walmer pub.
That's according to CAMRA, who has again named the "Berry" in Canada Road
as both branch pub of the year and cider pub of the year.
Landlord of the Berry, Chris Barnes
Picture: Tony Flashman FM2625985
This year is the sixth year since 2008 that landlord Chris Barnes and
his staff have won the branch award.
He said: “Our aims are to keep the standard of real ale at the highest
possible.”
The family run pub has also been listed in the Good Beer Guide since
2007.
Mr Barnes is a huge real ale enthusiast who promises not to sell it if
it's not up to his standards.
He praises his staff and they get behind the community, holding
fundraising events and collecting Salisbury's vouchers for a local
school.
A statement from CAMRA said: “Praise must go to runners up, the "Crispin
Inn" and the "George & Dragon" at Sandwich, the "Just Reproach" and the
"Prince Albert" in Deal.”
Mr Barnes added: “We hope to continue to provide you with an excellent
pint for many years to come.
“We love our pub and hope you will too, so please pop in for a friendly
welcome, a warm glowing real fire and some great beer,” he added.
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Above photo, date unknown before the green makeover. Kindly supplied by
Taylor Blacker. |
Above photo kindly supplied by Bas. Jan 2015. |
LICENSEE LIST
O'GRADY Gavin 1996
 LEESON John & Sue 1996-2005
BARNES Chris & Malcolm (son & father) 2005-2015+
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