Branch volunteers selected the 16 winning pubs, with factors including decor, atmosphere and the quality of ale contributing to their success.
The winners will soon be narrowed down to four super-regional champions, and the overall pub of the year announced in early 2019.
The pubs are listed in the 46th edition of the group’s Good Beer Guide, which noted a resurgence of independent breweries.
Huge honour
Andrea Briers, national pub of the year co-ordinator said: “It is a huge honour to be selected as one of the top 16 pubs in the country, as well as being featured in the Good Beer Guide.
“A great deal of time and effort goes into deciding which pub from each region should go forward into the next round.
“The competition really gets difficult now as these pubs will compete against one another to be named one of the top four in the country.
“Last year’s national winner, the Cricketers Arms in St Helens, Merseyside, enjoyed a huge boost in its popularity from visitors near and far, and all of the competing pubs will hope to secure national recognition from the competition.”