CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2011, launched today (Thursday 16th September 2010), has announced Britain's Top 16 pubs according to CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.
The 16 CAMRA Regional Pub of the Year winners will compete to be crowned National Pub of the Year later in 2010.
Pubs are judged in a number of areas which include Customer Service, Decor, Clientele Mix, Value for Money, Atmosphere and of course, the quality of the beer and cider!
The top 16 pubs all appear in the new Good Beer Guide and are described as follows:
Central Southern
The Bell, Bell Lane, Aldworth, Berkshire, RG8 9SE (Page 42, Good Beer Guide 2011)
In the same family for 200 years, this traditional country pub is a real gem. The ageless interior includes a one-handed grandfather clock and unusual glass-walled bar. The pub's location makes in popular with walkers as well as locals and real ale enthusiasts. Delicious filled rolls and tasty desserts complement the excellent beer and award-winning Upton cider.
Wessex
Guide Dog, 38 Earl's Road, Bevois Valley, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 6SF (Page 191, Good Beer Guide)
Closed in 1981, it reopened in 1984 as the Guide Dog after the previous landlady had raised £14,000 for the charity. Eight handpumps serve a wide range of ales, mainly from small breweries. Beer can be served in four-pint carry-out containers and jugs. Within walking distance of St Mary's football stadium, it gets busy on match days. It hosts a variety of charity events, has a weekly meat draw on Friday, and an annual autumn beer festival.
South / Mid Wales
Ship & Castle, 1 High Street, Aberystwyth, SY23 1JG (Page 595, Good Beer Guide 2011)
The best just got better. A total refit has given this flagship real ale pub improved facilities while retaining its original character. A Mecca for townsfolk, students and visitors of all ages. Five draught beers are usually available, mainly from micros, alongside Westons Old Rosie and Perry. Bottled offerings include Gwent y Ddraig cider and a small European range including Duval. Beers festivals are held in spring and autumn, and CAMRA runs occasional quiz nights.
South West
Salutation, Ham Green, Berkeley, Ham, Gloucestershire, GL13 9QH (Page 174, Good Ber Guide 2011)
Rural free house situated in the Severn Valley within walking distance of the Jenner Museum, Berkeley Castle and Deer Park. This friendly local sources its beers from nearby breweries and is popular with walkers and cyclists. The pub has two cosy bars, with a log fire and a skittle alley / function room. Food is served lunchtimes and early evening. There is a child-friendly garden at the front of the pub.
East Anglia
Dove, 68 Hospital Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3JU (Page 423, Good Beer Guide 2011)
A traditional ale house dating back to 1837, situated just outside the town centre. There are six handpumps with some additional beers served direct from the cellar. The main bar is rustic with scrubbed floorboards, and there is a separate parlour area. No music, TV or gambling machines. The landlord and staff are knowledgeable about the beers they sell and offer a warm and friendly welcome. A high percentage of the ales are from East Anglian breweries.
Kent
Flower Pot, 98 Sandling Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 2RJ (Page 221, Good Beer Guide 2011)
Filling a gap in Maidstone's portfolio, this genuine street-corner free house has much to offer real ale enthusiasts. The landlord is an evangelist for real ale and offers a diverse range of four guest ales to complement the two regular beers. The pub's top bar has panelling reputed to be from HMS Victory. Home-cooked pub food is available 12-6pm daily. Frequent live music and jam nights feature, as well as occasional beer festivals. A short walk from the railway station.
Greater London
Harp, 47 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4HS (Page 278, Good Beer Guide 2011)
This small, friendly, independent free house has become a haven for beer choice, generally including a mild or porter, Dark Star and London micro-brewery seasonal. Real ciders, perries and malt whiskies also feature strongly. The narrow bar is adorned with mirrors, theatrical memorabilia and portraits. There is no intrusive music or TV and a cosy upstairs room provides a refuge from the busy throng. To eat there are award-winning real sausages in baps.
Surrey / Sussex
Royal Oak, Friday Street, West Sussex, RH12 4QA (Page 451 Good Beer Guide 2011)
An isolated but welcoming low-beamed free house featuring seven real ales, which vary from local micro-brewery beers to several from a long-established relationship with brewers from Devon. There is a strong emphasis on the community and the locals, with annual events including a pantomime horse race, snail race and weed show. Food is home-cooked using produce from nearby. National Pub of the Year runner-up in 2009 and 2010.
Merseyside / Cheshire / North Wales
Brewery Tap, 52 Lower Bridge Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1RU
Situated on the first floor of a former Jacobean banqueting hall, the pub is accessed via steps from the street. The large room has stone floors, high ceilings and tapestries, creating a terrific ambience. A comprehensive, frequently changing list of real ales from micros, many local, complements the Splitting Feathers house beers, giving drinkers a wide, balanced choice. The real cider is usually Westons Traditional Srumpy. Inventive, freshly prepared food is served. An unmissable gem.
Scotland / Northern Ireland
Albert Tavern, 2 High Street, Freuchie, Kingdom of Fife, KY15 7EX (Page 640, Good Beer Guide 2011)
Friendly village local, reputedly a coaching inn when nearby Falkland Palace was a royal residence. Wainscot panelling and two old brewery mirrors adorn the walls of the bar, and both bar and lounge have beamed ceilings. A TV in the lounge screens sports. Four handpumps offer weekly-changing guest beers, usually including a dark mild. Outside is a small patio area. Scottish CAMRA Pub of the Year 2002, 2009 and runner-up 2008. National Pub of the Year runner-up 2002.
North West
Taps, Henry Street, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 5LE (Page 240, Good Beer Guide 2011)
This multi award-winning one-roomed pub has six varying guest beers including a cask mild. The pub supports the local lifeboat and rugby team, and much memorabilia is displayed. The landlord is the only person to win Branch Pub of the Year in two different pubs. The venue stocks a regular changing real cider.
North East
Surtees Arms, Chilton Lane, Ferryhill, Durham, D17 0DH (Page 144, Good Beer Guide 2011)
Large multi-roomed traditional pub owned by CAMRA members. Guest beers are sourced from local and national breweries and the real cider also changes regularly. Annual beer festivals are held in the summer and at Halloween. Live music and charity nights are regular events. A function room is available for private gatherings. Lunches are served on Sunday only. The pub is also home to the Yard of Ale micro-brewery, established in 2008, and its beers are permanent in the pub.
Greater Manchester
Knott Bar, 347 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LY (Page 321, Good Beer Guide 2011)
A well-established venue with a great mix of customers serving both local and national brewery beers. The excellent public transport links make this an ideal start / end point for a pub crawl. Food is served 12-8pm daily, with monthly themed epicurean nights a speciality. There is always a real cider available from a box, together with an extensive selection of foreign bottled beers.
Yorkshire
Ferryboat, Ferry Lane, Thorganby, YO19 6DD (Page 526, Good Beer Guide 2011)
This warm and welcoming local CAMRA award winning pub is in a beautiful rural setting with a large beer garden running down to the River Derwent. It is popular with birdwatchers, ramblers and cyclists, while the river attracts fishermen and boaters. Run by the same family for more than 60 years, the landlady makes beautiful home-made sandwiches and the landlord gives meticulous attention to his guest beers. Dogs are welcome in the garden.
East Midlands
Crown, Church Street, Beeston, NG9 1FY (Page 368, Good Beer Guide 2011)
This former Hardys & Hansons house has been transformed into a cask-drinking emporium by Everards with a genuine warm welcome. A multi-roomed pub with low-beam ceilings, it has a 'confessional' snug that was once used as a hideaway for the vicar next door after a service. The four regular beers and many guests are complemented by four cask ciders and perries from breweries both local and national, with an emphasis on micros. Basic snacks and rolls are provided.
West Midlands
Beacon Hotel, 129 Bilton Street, Sedgley, DY3 1JE (Page 481, Good Beer Guide 2011)
This beautifully-restored Victorian tap house and tower brewery is the home of Sarah Hughes ales. The heart of this popular pub is the small island servery with hatches serving the central corridor, a small, cosy snug, and the large main room. It also has a benched tap room and a family room leading to a garden. Cobs are available. Local CAMRA Pub of the Year 2008, 2009 and 2010. The strong barley wine Snowflake is on sale during the Christmas period.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The 2011 edition of CAMRA's best-selling guide to Britain's 4,500 best real ale pubs
will be launched on Thursday 16th September 2010.
38th edition of the original independent guide to great beer and good pubs.
There is no charge for entry into the Good Beer Guide. All entries are surveyed on a regular basis by CAMRA members. Other guides may only send a questionnaire and may never be visited.
Information about pub facilities for families and disabled visitors, history, architecture, food, accommodation, local places of interest... and of course, the beer: the best pubs serving the finest real ale in the country.
Unique brewery section listing all British real ale breweries and their regular beers.
Radio Interviews:
Please call CAMRA's Press Office on 01727 798443 if you would like an interview with the Good Beer Guide's Editor Roger Protz or a local CAMRA spokesperson on Thursday 16th September 2010. CAMRA has ISDN facilities.
Good Beer Guide Media Site - Available from Tuesday 14th September 2010:
Please visit the new Good Beer Guide Media Site - www.camra.org.uk/gbgmedia. Here you will find press releases, regional stories, photographs, book imagery and plenty of other interesting information to support the launch of the guide.
Review Copies:
Please email tony.jerome@camra.org.uk
if you are interested in receiving a review copy of the guide. Limited numbers available.
Good Beer Guide Sponsorship:
The 2011 Good Beer Guide is sponsored by Cask Marque - www.cask-marque.co.uk
For further information:
CAMRA Press Office: 01727 798443
Tony Jerome, Senior Press Manager: 07736 948186
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