I absolutely agree about Camra's generally positive effect on the beer market; only old buggers like me remember the sixties and seventies when the big breweries laid waste to the industry, and all you could get was poor imitations of continental lager, Watneys Red Barrel, Double Diamond and Whitbread Tankard. Craft brewing almost went under completely due to the policy of big breweries buying up smaller competitors and closing them down. I also agree that the breaking of the tie was a very mixed blessing. Guest ales are fine, but pubcos....ugh.
I'm a lucky, lucky boy for beers these days; I work in Sheffield, and fully endorse the comments above; I live in Leek, North Staffordshire, which must be easily the best small town for beer; loads of great and varied pubs, fantastic variety of beers (including the semi-legendary Hartington Bitter from Whim Ales at the Wilkes Head, and a proper Belgian beer bar) and a group of landlords who compete ferociously on the quality of their ales and run regular beer and cider festivals. That's just the town pubs; in five minutes you can be at any number of really good country pubs. Oh, and almost all the pubs encourage live music, and gigs are plentiful and properly paid.
Don't tell anyone, we're trying to keep it a secret....
Tim