The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has named the 16 best real ale pubs in Britain in its yearly guide released today.
The pubs, all winners in their region, were revealed in Camera’s 2011 Good Beer Guide, and will go on to compete for the coveted National Pub of the Year title later in 2010.
Camra also applauded the growing trend for communities to club together to save their local pubs from closure. Seven community-owned pubs appeared in the guide, including the New Inn in Shipton Gorge, the Star Inn in Salford, the Three Horseshoes in Thurston and the Old Crown in Hesket Newmarket.
Roger Protz, editor of the Good Beer Guide, said: “It is great to see more and more communities coming together to save their local pubs from closure. A community pub offers locals the best place to socialise and I was delighted to see that seven community-owned pubs made it into this year’s guide. It just goes to show how success these schemes can be.”
According to Camra pubs are judged on customer service, decor, clientele mix, value for money, atmosphere and the quality of the beer and cider.
The 16 regional winners for 2011 are:
Central Southern
The Bell, Bell Lane, Aldworth, Berkshire, RG8 9SE
Wessex
Guide Dog, 38 Earl’s Road, Bevois Valley, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 6SF
South / Mid Wales
Ship & Castle, 1 High Street, Aberystwyth, SY23 1JG
South West
Salutation, Ham Green, Berkeley, Ham, Gloucestershire, GL13 9QH
East Anglia
Dove, 68 Hospital Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3JU
Kent
Flower Pot, 98 Sandling Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 2RJ
Greater London
Harp, 47 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4HS
Surrey / Sussex
Royal Oak, Friday Street, West Sussex, RH12 4QA
Merseyside / Cheshire / North Wales
Brewery Tap, 52 Lower Bridge Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1RU
Scotland / Northern Ireland
Albert Tavern, 2 High Street, Freuchie, Kingdom of Fife, KY15 7EX
North West
Taps, Henry Street, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 5LE
North East
Surtees Arms, Chilton Lane, Ferryhill, Durham, D17 0DH
Greater Manchester
Knott Bar, 347 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LY
Yorkshire
Ferryboat, Ferry Lane, Thorganby, YO19 6DD
East Midlands
Crown, Church Street, Beeston, NG9 1FY
West Midlands
Beacon Hotel, 129 Bilton Street, Sedgley, DY3 1JE