Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has singled out the four best pubs in the country ahead of its 2018 Pub of the Year award.

One of the most well-known pub awards in the UK, CAMRA’s team of experts comb the country year after year on the hunt for the UK’s best local boozer.

All of the pubs in the competition are selected by CAMRA volunteers and judged on their atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for money, customer mix and — most importantly – the quality of their beer

The four finalists — who will be presented with their super regional award at local events over the coming weeks —now have a chance to win the National Pub of the Year title for 2018, which will be announced in February 2019.

At the heart of CAMRA’s decision making is community spirit. Last year, the once shut-down George and Dragon in Hudswell, North Yorkshire, won Pub of the Year after locals banded together to form Hudswell Community Pub Ltd and spent two years reviving the old establishment.

“Each of the finalists are different, with both town and village pubs represented,” said competition co-ordinator Andrea Briers, “all of which are excellent examples of their style of pub. This stage of the competition is very tough and all four finalists should be proud of their achievement.”

Keep scrolling to meet the finalists of CAMRA’s Pub of the Year 2018 award.

Chequers, Little Gransden

Where: 71 Main Rd, Little Gransden, Sandy SG19 3DW

The multi-award winning village pub has been owned and run by the same family for over 60 years and in the Good Beer Guide for 24 of them. The unspoilt middle bar, with its wooden benches, roaring fire and a collection of decoy birds that seem to be gathering on the beam over the bar, is a favourite spot to catch up on local gossip. The pub’s Son of Sid brewhouse supplies the pub and local beer festival. Fish and chips are a highlight on a Friday night!

Andrea Briers, who is also the local CAMRA Regional Director for East Anglia, said: “The Chequers is a wonderful traditional pub which serves its community and welcomes visitors. It is great to see Bob and Wendy’s hard work rewarded with a place in the final four of the Pub of the Year competition.”

Cricketer’s Arms, St Helens

Where: 64 Peter St, Saint Helens WA10 2EB

CAMRA’s reigning champion, the Cricketers Arms is known for the quality of its cask beer, something CAMRA members are deeply pasisonate about. The pub has no less than 13 hand pumps on the bar, plus over 110 gins.

Beers come from newer regional brewers and local microbreweries, and there is also an excellent selection of real ciders. This is a friendly local community pub on the edge of the town centre, hosting darts and pool teams, and entertainment at the weekend. Beer festivals are staged several times a year including one between Christmas and New Year.

Nick Bosley, CAMRA’s Regional Director for Merseyside and Cheshire said: “To reach the final 4 pubs in a National competition two years running demonstrates a consistency in quality over a long period of time. Andy, Denise and the team at the Cricketers Arms keep making small changes to show whatever is achieved it is still a work in progress.”

Volunteer Arms (Staggs), Musselburgh

Where: 81 N High St, Musselburgh EH21 6JE

Run by the same family for more than 150 years, the bar and snug are traditional with wooden floors, wood panelling and mirrors from defunct local breweries. The more modern lounge opens at the weekend. The real ales, mostly hoppy and pale but often with one darker, change regularly.

Sarah Crawford, CAMRA’s Regional Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “I’m delighted that the Volunteer Arms (Staggs) has made it through to the final of CAMRA’s Pub of the Year competition – it really deserves the recognition that comes with this award, and its fantastic to see the hard work of the team rewarded.

“It’s such a welcoming, family orientated pub and one that is popular both within the community, and those who make a special journey just to visit. I can’t think of a better place to spend an afternoon – and often have myself!”

Wonston Arms, Wonston

Where: Stoke Charity Rd, Sutton Scotney, Winchester SO21 3LS

Wonston Arms serves four real ales from local breweries plus 160 gins.

Hailed by CAMRA judges as “a true community pub”, it has all the trappings of your well-known pub group offers, with a local feel. It opens on Mondays for darts matches, a fish and chip van visits Tuesdays, curries are delivered Fridays and a fishmonger visits on Thursdays. Folk music takes place on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month and it is also home to regular jazz sessions, quizzes, and a photography club. The pub has been named Branch Pub of the Year three years running, and has a focus on raising money for charity.

Nigel Jones, CAMRA’s Regional Director for Wessex and the Channel Islands said: “Matt and his team have created a fantastic rural village pub with a great atmosphere by shaping it around the community and its needs. They have realised that it takes something special to create a sense of real belonging so that people want to come out of their homes and back in the pub.

The Wonston Arms serves excellent cask ales and is a great social environment for all. There is also a community business benefit which both emanates from, and contributes to, Matt’s success. Regular “pop-up” hot food, music, community, charity and educational events add to the “must be there” feel. In these testing times for pubs it is a real credit to them that it is so popular. This pub really deserves to go all the way in this competition.”