This week our branch is celebrating its 50th birthday. Our inaugural meeting was on the 10th of August 1975, at the long since closed Nutley Hall pub in Reigate. The story goes that an earlier meeting was to be held at The Home Cottage in Redhill, however so many people turned up, an impromptu decision was made in the car park to organise a new meeting at the Nutley Hall, where branch was formally conceived.

We were then known as the Reigate and Redhill branch, a name which stayed until 1998. At the annual general meeting that year the decision was made to rename the branch to East and Mid Surrey as we thought described the area we covered much better.

At our 2025 August branch meeting, held at The Bell Inn in Outwood, the current committee raised a glass to celebrate our golden anniversary.

To help celebrate, Titsey Brewing Co. are brewing us a 5.0% bitter to mark our special birthday. This should be available to purchase in selected outlets early to meet mid September. Our big thanks to Maria from The Golden Ark Micropub. in Selsdon for helping to facilitate this.

This year's REDHILL BEER FESTIVAL theme also celebrates our 50th birthday, and we have our own official celebration planned for the 13th September at The Pilgrim Brewery Taproom, now the closest venue to The Nutley Hall.

Pictured below is Andy, our Social Secretary, helping start the brew of our special birthday bitter at the Titsey brewery.