Drinkers at the Three Horseshoes Comberton have been greatly enjoying Doom Bar, a corkingly good bitter from the Sharps brewery of Rock, Cornwall. Landlord Colin Bourn discovered the beer when drinking in a pub in Great Malvern. On contacting the brewery he was delighted to find that they are already delivering direct to this area, to a couple of Cambridge colleges and to the White Swan, Stow-cum-Quy (see elsewhere). Doom Bar has been a real hit with Colin's locals and he's been selling up to 72 pints a day. It will now be a regular amongst his three changing guest beers (Harveys Sussex Best Bitter and Potton Village Bike were the other two on a recent visit) alongside the permanent Greene King IPA. Colin is planning to run a Beer Festival in June and on the 29th of that month the gorgeous back garden will have the accolade of being open under the National Gardens Scheme (the "yellow book").

Down the road at the Wheatsheaf, Harlton (on the main A603), there has been a change from Adnams Bitter and a guest beer to two changing guests. Landlord Tony Di Simone is in the fortunate position of being free of tie so expect plenty of variety. Everards Tiger and Elgoods Cambridge were on last time we called.

Real ale sales at the Maypole, Park Street, Cambridge are so buoyant that a further three handpumps have been fitted. Three regulars (Caledonian Dewhars IPA, Fullers London Pride and an Adnams beer) are supplemented by three changing guests.

Experienced licensees Colin and Sandra Allsebrook took over at the White Swan, x2>Stow-cum-Quy late last year. They haven't made any major changes at this attractive 17th century pub though the bench seating in the restaurant has been replaced with proper tables and chairs while the patio has been upgraded. On the real ale front, the excellent Sharps Doom Bar is a recent arrival and proving as popular here as at the Three Horseshoes Comberton. Woodforde's Wherry, Fullers London Pride and Greene King IPA complete the line up. The extensive menu features many traditional British favourites including a wide choice of pies. A Poacher's Night held recently offered rabbit stew, dumplings and vegetables for just ?5 a head and further similar theme nights may follow.

The Penny Ferry in Chesterton, which many will remember as the Pike and Eel, has seen some alterations. Half the building is effectively now a separate restaurant called the Riverview which has Indian food in the evenings and pub grub plus Malay dishes at lunchtimes. The remaining pubby area isn't much changed, with drinking spaces on three levels separated by balustrades. The panoramic views of the river remain arguably the best feature. Real ales are Greene King IPA and Abbot.

The Trinity Foot on the A14 next to the Swavesey turn is currently closed. The same applies to the Duke of Argyle, Argyle Street, Cambridge. We reported in the last issue that handpumps had just been installed here but whether real ale issued forth from them before the shutters went up we don't know.

For reasons too tedious to explain, the Branch's proposed Cambridge community pub crawl during February's Community Pubs Week didn't happen. It has however been rescheduled for 10 May and anyone is very welcome to join us for all or part of it. We'll begin at the Brook at the bottom end of Mill Road at 11am, then on to the excellent Empress to give the Wherry (and others) a hammering from Noon. Around 1pm there'll be a stop at the Earl of Beaconsfield for a drop of Adnams or Black Sheep, followed by the Kingston Arms (1.30pm) where a wide selection of ales always awaits you. The choice will be even greater at the Cambridge Blue (2.30pm) and if we manage to drag ourselves away and are still compos mentis, the Live and Let Live and the Salisbury are only staggering distance away.

The refurb at the Baron of Beef, Bridge Street, Cambridge has been carried out very tastefully. The muted colour scheme has the walls in mainly browns and cream, the ceiling a distinguished maroon and the floorboards bare brown. The bar counter has been cut back a bit to create more drinking space. Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Abbot on the pumps.

Wychwood's fearsome but very tasty Hobgoblin is a recent arrival at the quirky King Street Run on (where else) King Street, where it accompanies Fullers London Pride.

The Alma, Russell Court, Cambridge has changed hands. The new licensees were previously at the nearby Avery

Also not moving very far were the new folk at the Green Man Shepreth who were formerly down the road at the Star Melbourn.

On the pubs to let front, Greene King are seeking licensees for the Corner House Cambridge, Old Crown Girton, Pemberton Arms Harston, Wheatsheaf Stow-cum-Quy, White Horse Barton and Carpenters Arms Great Wilbraham. Enterprise have the Railway Tavern Great Shelford and Rose Stapleford up for grabs while the Punch list includes the Jolly Brewers Milton, Rose and Crown Teversham, Geldart Cambridge and aforesaid Duke of Argyle.

Fran and Barrie, who are doing such a great job at the Duke of Wellington Willingham (see article elsewhere), have also taken over the White Horse at Oakington. This had been selling just Greene King IPA but a changing guest beer has been added. On the food front the offering is "Fresh, British, Home Made" and ALE can testify to its deliciousness.