Tony Millns, 73, has died after a long battle with cancer. He was CAMRA’s national chairman between 1982 and 1985 and he used his skills in public relations to develop the concept of modern beer festivals and to improve the campaign’s public image.
He was born in Doncaster in 1951 and was active in CAMRA in the North-east before moving to Cambridge. He worked as Director of Communications for the county council and played a leading role in establishing CAMRA’s annual Cambridge beer festival.
One of the campaign’s earliest festivals, it established a style and format that had an impact on similar events throughout the country, including the Great British Beer Festival. This was down to Millns’ input and the festivals became more than just places to sup beer but to enjoy good food and live entertainment.
Important committees
He rose quickly through the campaign ranks, joining its national executive. He became national chairman between 1982 and 1985.
When he stood down from the chairmanship, he chaired a number of important committees, including its publications, which included The Good Beer Guide and its members’ monthly newspaper What’s Brewing.
His last major role was as project co-ordinator of an archive at Warwick University of CAMRA publications. The project was launched in 2021 to mark the campaign’s 50th anniversary. Millns main task was to oversee the digitisation of What’s Brewing.
He is survived by his wife Jill.
Neil Kellett, from Cheadle in Greater Manchester, who has died aged 83, was an accountant who acted as CAMRA’s national auditor for many years. He was a keen campaigner and one of his first activities was joining a protest in Stamford, Lincs, when Samuel Smith bought the local All Saints Brewery and threatened to close it.
In 1989, he founded the CAMRA Members Investment Club with the aim of buying shares in breweries.
Good financial practice
The aim was not to make a profit but to enable members of the club to attend brewery AGMs, champion cask beer and criticise policies that were detrimental to the campaign’s aims.
As CAMRA’s auditor, he oversaw the development of good financial practice and modern systems at its head office that kept the organisation solvent as its membership soared.
In spite of being a supporter of the Conservative Party, he travelled extensively in the old Soviet bloc to enjoy the beer there. He was also a keen sports fan and had a season ticket at Manchester City.
He never married and died peacefully at his home.
