Surrey pub battling to win 'Rural Oscar'

The Jolly Farmers in Buckland, a pub, eatery and farm shop, has been selected to compete in a one-off public vote-led competition to mark the tenth anniversary of the Countryside Alliance Awards, which celebrate rural produce, skills, enterprise and heritage.

The pub, which is run by Jon Briscoe and his wife and business partner Paula, won the Alliance’s Best Diversification category in the 2007, and will now compete against nine other award winners for the overall title. It is the only pub on the list.

Members of the public have until Sunday 30 November to vote either online or via voting cards inside the pub which, over the years, has generated around £5m for the local economy.

“It’s entirely up to the public to select the winner by voting during November so this is a fantastic chance for the industry to gain national recognition and reward and in doing so, demonstrate the continued importance of the pub within the fabric of society,” Jon said.

Awards director Jill Grieve added: “We are excited to be bringing our winners back into the fold and using this platform to promote our rural businesses and communities. Jon and Paula are worthy Rural Oscar winners whose vision for The Jolly Farmers really pushed the business model for the pub and continues to be a breath of fresh air in the trade, promoting local produce and putting the customer’s needs first.”