Camra announces best UK pubs

Camra​ has announced the regional finalists in its search for the National Pub of the Year Award to celebrate the launch of the Good Beer Guide 2009.

Sixteen regional pubs from across the country were picked out for being the very best real ale pubs in Britain, and all will now go through to be in with the chance of winning the prestigious National Pub of the Year Award in February.

The Trafalgar in London, The Crown in Stockport, The Royal Oak in Rusper, West Sussex and The Butcher’s Arms in Herne, Kent, were just four of the winning finalists named by Camra today, and all appear in the 2009 edition of the Good Beer Guide.

Over 4,500 real ale pubs feature in the latest guide, along with 1,227 new additions, all of which have been surveyed thoroughly by local Camra members and scored on a variety of aspects such as customer service, clientele mix, value for money, d?cor and quality of beer.

Good Beer Guide editor Roger Protz said: “The Camra members work tirelessly to survey the pubs each year to make sure the reader gets the most updated guide to the best pubs in Britain. I would personally like to thank them for all of their hard work and support.

“It is great to see that there are now more than 660 real ale breweries in Britain brewing over 2,500 different varieties of real ale and so many wonderful pubs to drink them in.”

The Regional Pub of the Year 2008 winners are:​

Central Southern​ Royal Oak Inn, Newbury Street, Wantage, Oxfordshire

East Anglia​ Chequers, 71 Main Road, Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire

East Midlands​ Arkwright Arms, Chesterfield Road, Sutton Cum Duckmanton, Derbyshire

Greater London​ Trafalgar, 23 High Path, Greater London

Greater Manchester​ Crown, 154 Heaton Lane, Stockport, Greater Manchester

Kent​ Butcher`s Arms, 29A Herne Street, Herne, Kent

Merseyside, Cheshire & North Wales​ Blue Bell, Rhosemor Road, Halkyn, North-East Wales

North East​ King`s Arms, Beach Street, Deptford, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear

Scotland & Northern Ireland​ Marine Hotel, 9-10 Shorehead, Stonehaven, Grampian

South & Mid Wales​ Tafarn John y Gwas, Drefach-Felindre, West Wales

South West​ Tom Cobley Tavern, Spreyton, Devon

Surrey & Sussex​ Royal Oak, Friday Street, Rusper West Sussex

Wessex​​Red Lion Inn, Kilmington, Wiltshire

West Midlands​​Beacon Hotel, 129 Bilston Street, Sedgley, West Midlands

West Pennines​​Manor Arms, Princes Street, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria

Yorkshire​​Kelham Island Tavern, 62 Russell Street, Sheffield, Yorkshire