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CAMRA announces Pub of the Year 2024 finalists
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has revealed the four pubs that are in the running to win its 2024 Pub of the Year competition.
In the 2023 edition The Tamworth Tap retained its title as CAMRA’s Pub of the Year. However, the Staffordshire boozer has not made the final this time round, with four new contenders for the crown.
The final four, whittled down from a list of 17 regional and national finalists, are as follows:
Black Horse, Preston, Lancashire
This Grade II-listed Victorian Preston pub features four Robinson’s beers and a rotating selection of four guest beers, as well as Old Rosie and Flat Tyre cider. Jones of Huddersfield provides the pork pies served there, and there is also live music on occasion.
In spite of its name, the pub is certainly not a dark horse in the contest, having already won Central Lancashire Branch Pub of the Year, Central Lancashire Branch Cider Pub of the Year, Lancashire Branches Pub of the Year, and West Pennines Regional Cider Pub of the Year in 2024.
Three B’s, Bridlington , East Riding of Yorkshire
The eponymous “Three B’s” stand for “banter”, “beer” and “bar snacks” – the latter coming in the form of homemade sausage rolls. As for the second “B”, it’s a selection of real ales from Yorkshire microbreweries.
Landlord Mark Bates commented: “We visit many other great pubs in Yorkshire and beyond so know this is a very high standard, this really is an accolade beyond our dreams and would like to thank CAMRA for bestowing such recognition on us.”
Little Green Dragon, Winchmore Hill, Greater London
Opened in 2017, this was Enfield’s first micro-pub, and the following year it went on to win CAMRA’s Greater London Pub of the Year. The Enfield and Barnet branch of CAMRA then proceeded to name it Local Pub of the Year in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, paralleling Real Madrid’s European Cup run in the 1950s, though the rules were then changed so that the winning pub could not be judged the following year. Despite having to sit 2023 out, it went on to regain the title in 2024.
“Clearly, at this stage of the competition, it is about far more than beer quality, so I really must thank my incredible family and staff and amazing regulars for making visitors feel so welcome in the Little Green Dragon,” commented owner Richard Reeves.
Bailey Head, Oswestry , Shropshire
Noted for its ever changing selection of six cask beers, alongside 11 stalwarts, four ciders and a perry (from a pear tree), Bailey Head was previously under the ownership of Marston’s before it came under private ownership in 2016.
“When we bought the pub nearly nine years ago, we never dreamt this could happen,” commented Grace Goodlad, who runs the pub with Duncan Borrowman. “It had been failing under the ownership of a major pub company and CAMRA had it protected as an Asset of Community Value. We couldn’t have done this without that happening.”
The winner will be announced in January 2025.
National Pub of the Year coordinator Andrea Briers said of the finalists: “These fantastic four are the epitome of what a good pub should be; welcoming to all, friendly hardworking staff and serve well maintained cask beer for a wonderful pub going experience. I am excited to find out which one will be crowned the best pub in the UK.” ”
Briers also used the competition as an opportunity to highlight the pressures that the sector is being placed under: “Pubs need our support more than ever, as the licensed trade continues to feel the strain under the burden of unfair tax, high costs and regulations. I urge all pub lovers and beer drinkers to experience not only our incredible Pub of the Year finalists, but support as many pubs as possible.”
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