The British pub is a cornerstone of our way of life, more popular than restaurants, clubs, cinemas or other entertainment. Whether you drink real ale or not, CAMRA works to protect the nation's pubs. CAMRA is not just about beer. We think the best place to enjoy a decent pint is in the pub and so we campaign in many ways to promote quality pubs.
Winner: The Harp, 47 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4HS
Tel. 020 7836 0291,
www.harpcoventgarden.com
CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, is excited to announce that in the year of the organisation's 40th anniversary,
The Harp, Covent Garden, is the first London pub to win its National Pub of the Year competition.
CAMRA's National Pub of the Year accolade recognises all the criteria that make a great pub, including atmosphere, decor, customer service, value for money, clientele mix, and most importantly, the quality of the beer.
Bridget Walsh, The Harp owner, said:
'This news came as a complete shock but of course we are delighted to be named CAMRA's National Pub of the Year. We pride ourselves on the range and quality of our real ale and to be London's first ever National Pub of the Year is a real honour. I would like to thank my locals, CAMRA members and particularly my brilliant staff, who made this a real team effort.'
View the Presentation Gallery
Read CAMRA's press release
More on the Pub of the Year competition & previous winners
CAMRA's research shows that 84% of people believe a pub is as essential to village life as a shop or post office.
The loss of pubs, whether in rural or urban areas, can undermine the local economy and community life.
CAMRA's pubs campaigning aims to:
- Prevent the loss of, or inappropriate alterations to, a public house of community, architectural or historical importance.
- Improve the viability of a public house through the provision of community facilities.
- Protect the future of a public house through community ownership.
- The Foundation will provide advice and small grants to local groups seeking to prevent the loss of their local pub.
Save Our Pubs forum
Visit the Save Our Pubs website
Pub heritage is an important issue for CAMRA. Our historic pubs, especially our historic pub interiors, are under continuing threat from inappropriate alteration or even complete closure. CAMRA has developed a National Inventory of the most precious of our true heritage pubs, along with Regional Inventories of other pub interiors worthy of both protection and celebration.
Our historical pubs are a unique and precious part of our heritage and way of life; if you want to find out more about them, please visit the website.
Heritage Pubs Website
After 5 years of persistent campaigning CAMRA, as a lead member of the Local Works coalition, achieved a great campaign victory that saw the Sustainable Communities Act became law in October 2007.
The Act provides a channel for local people to drive Central Government assistance and action to improve the economic, social and environmental well being of their area. This means that local people can use the Act to promote community pubs and the availability of local beers.
The Act will enable CAMRA to pursue measures including:
- Increasing the number of pubs eligible for rate relief
- Ensuring full planning permission is require for convert a pub to another use
- Outlawing the use of restrictive covenants that prevent a closed pub being reopened
- Allocating funding to initiatives to promote local beers
More Information & Resources
We also campaign to try to prevent pubs from closing down as often a pub is a focal point for a local community and once a pub is closed down it seldom reopens. Recent research from CAMRA has suggested that as many as
57 pubs are closing down each month across the UK and this affects both rural and urban areas.
CAMRA helps communities fighting to save their local pub and many communities have succeeded in saving their local and defeating demolition or unwelcome development.
Saving Your Pub - Detailed Guidance
Saving Your Pub - Leaflet (PDF)
Public House Viability Test
Pub Appeals List
CAMRA campaigns for good pubs as well as for real ale; after all the best place to enjoy a good-quality beer is in a decent pub. CAMRA runs a number of initiatives to recognise and promote excellence in pubs and to encourage pub going. This includes a host of awards schemes for the best pubs and the inclusion of high-quality pubs in our annual publication the Good Beer Guide as well as a range of local guides and newsletters.
Saving Your Pub - Detailed Guidance
Promoting & Protecting the Pub (Members' Version)