CAMRA Stafford and Stone Branch held their first beer festival on 11th October 1974 at the Students Union Building , Tipping Street, Stafford. The modest range of real ales on sale included Ansells Bitter, Marstons Pedigree and Thwaites Bitter.

The Branch held a wake for the death of Joules Brewery in Stone on Thursday 31st October 1974, the day it was closed by Bass. Frank Beech reputedly sold 180 gallons of Joules Bitter in the Red Lion that day and many people still remember Stafford and Stone CAMRA Vice-chairman Rod Tolley dressed as an undertaker at the High Street event.

Stafford and Stone CAMRA Branch organised three brewery visits within a month in late 1979. They went to Wem on 8th November, Springfield in Wolverhampton on 16th and Robinsons of Stockport on 5th December. Only Robinsons now survives.

In November 1979 a branch survey revealed that of the 198 pubs in the Stafford and Stone area, 61 did not serve real ale, Courage being the worst offender, followed by Allied Breweries. There are still about 30% of local pubs that only serve keg, but Bass are now the main culprit.

In late 1984 cask conditioned Best Bitter was being introduced locally by Courage who had previously been criticised for only supplying the stronger, more expensive Directors.

Highgate Best also appeared, but this lighter coloured Mild was not to last long.

The Railway (now the Badger), Eccleshall introduced Wem Special and became the only pub locally to sell three Wem beers.

Worst news fifteen years ago was at Stephensons Rocket, where real Springfield Bitter and Pedigree were replaced by keg Burtonwood. Within ten years however the pub had reverted to being the Stafford Arms and introduced an excellent range of ales.

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