Where do I join…? Essex teenagers from Dunmow are being sent to Amsterdam to learn about sex, drugs and alcohol. A spokesman explained: "It's not just the young people and youth workers. We've got the local community police officer, two sexual health nurses and two chlamydia nurses". Sounds like they are prepared for an orgy!

The Unite union is calling for new safety standards for draymen with an end to one-man deliveries, no stacking of casks above 11 gallons in capacity and only drained casks to be removed from cellars.

Wetherspoon's first 'green' pub in Melton Mowbray cost three times as much to build as a standard building giving it a massive initial carbon footprint.
It's no surprise that the company doesn't plan to build any more green pubs in the near future although all new pubs will have to be zero-carbon by 2019.

Walkers crisps is running an offer for  Brit Trips which actually include 'two-for-one' meal offers at Enterprise Inns. Just 10 packs is all you need to participate, so get collecting and you can try pub grub at around 300 pubs from the their estate of over 7,000. The bad news is that you require a connection to that new-fangled internet to take part. 


Dunmow brewery may be gone but the name lives on as home brew

More choice… Some of the bigger pub companies are expanding the range of drinks available to their tenants including Marstons Pub Company, Enterprise, Punch and the Greene King Pub Company.
Punch said that they now offer 79 cask ale brands, 70 key ales, 24 lagers, 353 wines, 200 spirit brands and a further 79 cask ales through the Finest Cask Scheme. Enterprise claim the widest range of drinks in the industry. Their tie up with the Society of Independent Brewers means they have been able to offer 1,230 beers from 312 brewers in the last year alone.
Greene King Pub Partners said: "We have a wide range of products with supply agreements. We will have 12 seasonal ales and 2 guest ales giving a choice of between 8 and 10 per month".

Indicative of the state of the market is the Old Ship in Rochford which currently has four different sale boards along  its facade. You'd might even think it was called 'for-sale'. Mind you it'd be a better name than boaters or chuffers - thanks be that fad's over.

Pagan Lion meets at the Cricketers, London Road, Westcliff on Sea. It's for those with an appreciation of Mother Earth and NOT devil worship, despite misconceptions popularised by naff 70s films in the Hammer genre. Still interested? Then come along - Socials are the 2nd Tuesday of the Month; Guest Speakers on the 4th Tuesday of the Month at 8pm.

An Australian chap is to build a new Stonehenge and this one will be complete. Ross Smith the former owner of a successful micro brewery expects to have the Henge up and ready for the Summer Solstice - which of course is December 21st.