Good Pub Guide 2015: Award winners revealed

The guide’s editors said they had identified 329 “outstanding” pubs for their beer awards, with each impressing with the quality and range on display.

The title of Pub of the Year went to Anthony  and Jeanette Goodrich, owner s of the Rose & Crown in Snettisham, Norfolk.

While food has driven the growth in turnover at the freehouse, the couple are keen not to change the essence of the business.

Mr Goodrich said: “We are first and foremost a village pub and it is incredibly important to us that we keep that at the heart of what we do. We have a great drinking trade and are the social hub of the village.

“To be considered the pub of the year is a really wonderful achievement and something we’re so proud of. But when I spoke to the staff about this I reminded them that it means we will have to work even harder at everything we do because people will be expecting the best.”

Red tape​

Asked about the biggest challenges facing the pub trade at the moment, Goodrich said small firms needed to know the authorities were on their side.

He said: “Small businesses are at the mercy of red tape and more thought needs to go into how legislation will affect us. Paternity leave, for example, while very well-intentioned is an extra burden for a small firm to implement. Our position should be considered when the latest health and safety initiative is dreamed up.”

Guide editor Fiona Stapley described the Goodrichs as “licensees who have never sat on their laurels”.

She added: “They are always listening to customers, they are always trying to incorporate new ideas that might appeal to their locals. It’s got two fantastic proper character bars with fires and newspapers and lots of locals. But it also has a smart little restaurant, a bustling big conservatory dining room, and a really pretty garden with a well-equipped children’s play area. It was a stand-out choice – they really deserve it.”

Karl and Amanda Mainey, of the Crown Inn, Roecliffe in Yorkshire, were crowned licensees of the year, seven years after buying the freehold of the pub.

Karl said: “There’s no special formula to what we do – we just try to run a good ship. We try to make sure that every element is there – a good welcome, good service, décor – it’s not just about saying ‘We’ve got a great menu and some good beers so the rest of it doesn’t matter.”

The whole Mainey family gets involved in the running of the pub, with 13-year-old Hamish busy cooking flapjacks in the kitchen when the PMA spoke to his father.

Mainey said: “It’s tough bringing up a young family with all the demands of running a pub. You have to make sure you find that balance. I couldn’t have done that without such a supportive wife and a great team helping me out.” 

Good Pub Guide 2015 National Winners​

Pub of the Year:​ Rose & Crown, Snettisham, Norfolk

The top ten also included the Royal Standard of England in Forty Green (Buckinghamshire);  Crown at Little Walden (Essex); Olive Branch at Clipsham (Leicestershire and Rutland); Woods in Dulverton (Somerset); Horse Guards at Tillington (Sussex); Bell in Welford-on-Avon (Warwickshire); Compasses at Chicksgrove (Wiltshire); Nags Head in Malvern (Worcestershire)
Crown at Roecliffe (Yorkshire)

Dining Pub of the Year​: Pipe and Glass Inn, South Dalton, Yorkshire

The top ten dining pubs across the country also included The Cock in Hemingford Grey(Cambridgeshire); Treby Arms at Sparkwell (Devon); Feathered Nest at Nether Westcote (Gloucestershire); Wellington Arms at Baughurst (Hampshire); Stagg at Titley (Herefordshire), Assheton Arms at Downham (Lancashire); Plough at Kingham (Oxfordshire);Lord Poulett Arms at Hinton St George (Somerset) and Horse Guards at Tillington (Sussex)

Own Brew Pub of the Year​: Church Inn, Uppermill, Lancashire

The finalists were the Brewery Tap in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire); Beer Hall at Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley (Cumbria); Watermill at Ings (Cumbria); Old Poets Corner at Ashover (Derbyshire); Grainstore in Oakham (Leicestershire); Dipton Mill Inn at Diptonmill and Ship in Newton-by-the-Sea (Northumbria); Three Tuns at Bishop’s Castle (Shropshire) and Weighbridge Brewhouse in Swindon (Wiltshire).

New Pub of the Year:​ Church Inn, Mobberley, Cheshire

The rest of the top ten were Tudy Inn at St Tudy (Cornwall); Stapleton Arms at Buckhorn Weston (Dorset); English Partridge at Bighton (Hampshire); Assheton Arms at Downham and Old Hall at Worsley (Lancashire); Lord Crewe Arms at Blanchland (Northumbria); Lion & Pheasant in Shrewsbury (Shropshire), Kingsdon Inn at Kingsdon (Somerset) and Bell at Ramsbury (Wiltshire).

Beer Pub of the Year​: Nags head, Malvern, Worcestershire

The finalists were Bhurtpore in Aston and Mill in Chester (Cheshire); Watermill at Ings (Cumbria), Tom Cobley at Spreyton (Devon); Old Spot in Dursley (Gloucestershire); Malt Shovel in Northampton (Northamptonshire); Fat Cat in Norwich (Norfolk); Fat Cat in Ipswich (Suffolk) and Kelham Island Tavern in Sheffield (Yorkshire).

Whisky Pub of the Year​: Sligachan Hotel, Sligachan, Isle of Skye

The finalists were the Nobody Inn at Doddiscombsleigh (Devon); Bhurtpore at Aston and Old Harkers Arms in Chester (Cheshire); Angel at Larling (Norfolk); Black Jug in Horsham; (Sussex) and Bow Bar in Edinburgh and Bon Accord in Glasgow (Scotland).

Wine Pub of the Year:​ Woods, Dulverton, Somerset

The finalists were: Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire);  Nobody Inn at Doddiscombsleigh (Devon); Yew Tree at Clifford’s Mesne(Gloucestershire); Inn at Whitewell (Lancashire); Olive Branch at Clipsham (Leicestershire and Rutland); Crown at Southwold (Suffolk); Crown at Stoke-by- Nayland (Suffolk); Inn at West End (Surrey) and Vine Tree at Norton (Wiltshire).

Country Pub of the Year​: English Partridge, Bighton, Hampshire

The finalists were White Horse at Hedgerley (Buckinghamshire); Pheasant at Burwardsley (Cheshire); Duke of York at Iddesleigh (Devon); Brace of Pheasants at Plush (Dorset); Butchers Arms at Sheepscombe (Gloucestershire); Royal Oak at Fritham (Hampshire); Hatchet at Lower Chute and Malet Arms at Newton Tony (Wiltshire), and Harp at Old Radnor (Wales).

Inn of the Year​: New Inn, Cerne Abbas, Dorset

The finalists were: the New Inn at Coleford and Rock at Haytor Vale (Devon); Kings Head at Bledington(Gloucestershire), Mill at Gordleton near Hordle (Hampshire); Wellington Arms at Baughurst(Hampshire); Crown in Southwold (Suffolk); RedLion at Long Compton (Warwickshire) and Blue Lion at East Witton (Yorkshire).

Licensees of the Year:​ The Mainey family, the Crown Inn, Roecliffe, Yorkshire

The finalists were Philip and Lauren Davison of the Fox at Peasemore (Berkshire); Tim Wilkes of the Spyway at Askerswell (Dorset); Colin Hayling of the Crown at Little Walden (Essex); Tim Gray of the Yew Tree at Lower Wield (Hampshire);  Glenn Williams of the Bell at Tillington (Herefordshire);  Julie Barclay and Robert Windeler of the Queens Head at Bulwick (Northamptonshire); Peter and Veryan Graham of the George at Croscombe (Somerset); Stephen, Sally, Richard and Leonie Browning of the Rose & Crown at Stoke St Gregory (Somerset)and the Key family of the Nags Head in Usk (Wales).

Value Pub of the Year​: Ring O’Bells, Lathom, Lancashire

The finalists were the Church Inn at Chelmorton (Derbyshire); Yew Tree at Lower Wield (Hampshire); Butcher & Beast at Heighington (Lincolnshire); Dipton Mill Inn at Diptonmill (Northumbria); Old Castle in Bridgnorth (Shropshire); Square & Compass at Ashill (Somerset); Lord Nelson in Southwold (Suffolk); Six Bells at Chiddingly (Sussex) and Lamb in Marlborough (Wiltshire).

Unspoilt Pub of the Year:​ Square & Compass, Worth Matravers, Dorset

Town Pub of the Year:​ Old Harkers Arms, Chester, Cheshire

Brewery of the Year​: Woodfordes, Norwich

Pub Group of the Year​: Provenance Inns, York

To order a copy of the book or to find out more go to www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk​