Gold award for 'most improved' pub

A Punch pub labelled "the worst in Warwickshire" by its council one year ago has won a top award for cleanliness from the local authority.

This followed a £200,000 investment at the Sun in Splendour in Leamington Spa by the pubco, in addition to new fixtures and fittings and improvements to the garden from new licensees Gareth Beddow and Kelly Satchwell.

The pub has now received a Gold Award by Warwickshire County Council's Environ-mental Health team - one of only a couple of independent businesses to get the award

in the last 15 years - following a council inspection.

Beddow said officers tested everything from the cellar's cleanliness, the barrels and the ice machine to the freezer and glasses in the bar area.

"We could see lots of potential in the pub and were determined to make a success of it, but it needed investment. Now we have members of the council eating at the pub and telling us it is the most turned-around pub in Leamington."

An environmental health spokeswoman said: "Last time I visited it was a typical estate boozer, so I got a shock when I walked in this time to do the test. It was transformed."