Heavy Woollen Branch of CAMRA presents Birstall Irish Democratic League Club with its Club of the Season award for Spring 2026

Branch chairman Mike Roebuck visited the club, known to locals as “Birstall Nash”, to present husband and wife team Jim and Debra Gibbons with the award, which they accepted on behalf of the club and committee. Members and guests present at the ceremony also showed their appreciation.

A branch spokesperson said: “Jim and Debra have been here for eight years, prior to which they spent three years at the Old Hall in Heckmondwike, always keen to serve good quality drinks with friendly service.”

With currently around 30 clubs in the district serving real cask ale, the spokesperson said there is plenty of competition and “winners need to be very worthy and have demonstrated real effort to present good ale in a pleasant environment”.

The bar at the Birstall Irish Democratic League Club, on High Street, has three handpulls, two usually having Ossett White Rat and Wainwright Gold, while the third pump is reserved for a guest beer, which more often than not is a requested dark beer.

The club features a “fine, comfortable and friendly” bar lounge, a spacious games room and a “good-sized concert/function room with an excellent stage able to accommodate a wide range of performers”. It hosts live music on Saturdays and Sundays, with its Sunday afternoons with music and bingo being particularly popular.

The club has almost 1,000 members and has a reputation for charity fundraising, most recently a parachute jump in aid of the Make a Wish Foundation.