The Old Moseley Arms is hosting its autumn beer festival from the Thursday lunchtime on 14 October, through to the following Sunday.

The pub will be offering a selection of 10 ales, with live music and food throughout the weekend. Full details on 0121 440 1954.

Forget the "Booze Britain" headlines - alcohol consumption in the UK is actually going through its biggest dip in 60 years, according to new research.

The latest edition of the British Beer & Pub Association's annual Statistical Handbook reveals alcohol consumption dropped a full six per cent last year. Beer remains the nation's favourite, accounting for 60 per cent of all on-trade sales.

It's not all bad news, though: JD Wetherspoons has announced a four per cent rise in sales for the financial year ending July. However, most of this came from the 47 new pubs it opened furing that period, bringing its estate up to 775.

Already one of the better town centre haunts for Solihull beerhunters, the White Swan on Station Road will be launching its first-ever cider festival on Monday, 23 August. You can view the pub's website here.

The brand new edition of CAMRA's bible, The Good Beer Guide, will be out in a few weeks -- and members of the Campaign for Real Ale are eligible for substantial discounts.

Although it carries a £15.99 cover price, CAMRA members can buy the latest volume for just £11.00 -- down to £10.00 if you opt for an annual payment by direct debit.

There is also an electronic edition for most Sat-nav units or mobile 'phones.

For full details, check out the CAMRA website.

3-5 June: 35th Wolverhampton Beer Festival, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton. 100+ real ales, entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings.

18-19 June: 4th Stratford-Upon-Avon Beer & Cider Festival, Stratford-Upon-Avon Racecourse. 50+ real ales, live music and Morris dancing on Saturday. Full details here.

7-11 July: 33rd Derby Beer Festival, Assembly Rooms, Derby. Live jazz and big band music, fancy dress night on Surday. Full details here.

9-11 July: Beer on the Wye VI, Hereford Rowing Club, Greyfriars Avenue, Hereford.130+ real ales, 70+ perries and ciders, live entertainment. Full details here.

15-17 July: 8th Bromsgrove Beer & Cider Festival, Bromsgrove Rugby Football Club, Finstall Park, Finstall. 100+ real ales. Full details here.

29-31 July: 3rd Stafford Beer Festival, Blessed William Howard School, Rowley Avenue, Stafford. 70 real ales, live music every evening. Full details here.

3-7 August: Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, London. Full details here.

12-14 August: 11th Worcester Beer, Cider & Perry Festival, Worcester Racecourse. 200+ real ales, 100 ciders & perries, entertainment Thursday and Friday evening. Full details here.

No sooner do we get a spate of decent weather than Solihull CAMRA's Bob Jackson e-mails me: "This is to tell you of an informal social on Sat 5th June. We will be cycling from Shirley to Henley in Arden, setting out at 11:00, and returning late afternoon, possibly by train, depending on peoples' condition.

"The purpose of the trip will be to assess beer choice and quality and the suitability of the pubs for future Branch Meetings. If you're interested please get in touch with me to decide where to meet up and also if the weather looks doubtful."

Bob's number is 0121 705 8743 (mobile: 07771 623 909).

Fancy sampling a half-dozen of the region's best real ales next weekend in the comfort of a Warwick pub?

The Rose & Crown, in the town's market place, is holding a mini-festival next Friday and Saturday. The event's being sponsored by Purity, and as well as brewery's beers, there'll be representation from Wye Valley, Church End, Slaughterhouse, Hobsons and Salopian.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is among 500 Parliamentary candidates who've signed up to support the Campaign for Real Ale's Beer Drinkers and Pub Goers Charter. Other signatories include Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party Labour's Austin Mitchell, Tory candidate Anthony Ridge-Newman and independent Ben Sherman (standing under the slogan "Reduce Tax on Beer").

The Lib Dems are at the forefront of the campaign, with 201 candidates backing the charter, followed by Labour, with 140. Only 50 Conservative candidates have signed up.

Nick Clegg said "I am proud to be a signatory to the charter and to help bring attention to the much-needed support required for well-run community pubs, local brewers and consumer rights which all contribute to community life and boost the local economy.

"Well-run pubs are important to tackling alcohol misuse, they are not part of the problem. Government policies, such as continually raising duty on beer and refusing to reform the beer tie, have led to a situation in which more than five pubs a day are said to be closing. It is hugely important that we stand up for the pub industry during these difficult times."

For full details, check out CAMRA's election coverage.

The excellent Reservoir pub over in Earlswood is running its first Beer & Bangers Festival this weekend, offering 10 real ales, one real cider and five flavours of locally-produced sausage.

Full directions here.

A government initiative supporting the pub industry has been warmly welcomed by the Campaign for Real Ale.

The 12-point action plan follows months of pressure from CAMRA, the brewing industry, pub bosses and ordinary customers. It includes £1m promoting pubs as community hubs, £3m to encourage community ownership and relaxation of licensing laws on live music.

CAMRA chief executive Mike Benner said: "We are now busy lobbying hard to encourage the other political parties to unveil their policies to support pubs before the General Election. We also need to ensure that the Government sticks to the proposals they've announced."