Bar Man: Jeff Hoyle reveal who the CAMRA Pub of the Year winner is

In his weekly column, Bar Man Jeff Hoyle reveals who the CAMRA Pub of the Year winner is…

The National CAMRA Pub of the Year has been announced, and it is The Baileys Head in Oswestry, taking the crown from last year’s champion, The Tamworth Tap.

I haven’t been to the Bailey’s Head, but next time I am in the area, it will be on the list.

Meanwhile, as one competition reaches its conclusion, the next one begins.

Here in West Norfolk our CAMRA Branch presents three awards. Our Cider Pub of the Year is once again The Live and Let Live in Kings Lynn.

One of the few in the area which stocks a range of ciders, it is no stranger to winning the award.

Likewise, our Club of the Year is the Ferry Lane Social Club.

With a friendly welcome and a fine range of beer and at least one cider, the club is a deserved winner once again, though I am sure there are competitors out there with which we are less familiar, and which could give Ferry Lane a decent challenge.

Let us know if your local club is a real ale oasis and perhaps it could be nominated for the award next year.

Our main award is far more keenly contested. A shortlist of four is created from the nominations received based on the beer scores submitted over the previous year, and then these are surveyed by any member who wishes to be involved in the process.

While a good pub must have good beer, it does not necessarily follow that good beer alone makes a good pub and eight categories are considered.

First is the quality of the beer, and clearly all our contenders score well here.

Next comes the promotion and knowledge of the product. It seems reasonable to expect that the staff can describe what the beer or cider tastes like.

Some have tasting notes on a board, glass jars with samples or offer tastes of the products.

Cleanliness and staff hygiene are a hangover from the covid days, and all our candidates did well on this measure.

Last year I surveyed a pub in the area competition where the cat liked to relax on top of the dishwasher behind the bar. No such issues here. Community focus was something that helped the Bailey’s Head to their success and a category in which several of our shortlists were particularly strong.

Service and welcome are rather more difficult for me to assess, as I am not exactly a stranger to some of the better pubs in the area, so observing how newcomers are treated is a possible solution.

Style, décor and atmosphere are rather subjective. It varies with personal taste and the time of the visit. Sympathy with CAMRAs aims can also be harder to judge, though evidence such as posters, beermats, copies of Norfolk Nips or staging beer festivals can provide valuable evidence.

Finally, the overall impression and value. Another difficult one.

Value doesn’t always equate to the lowest price and some pubs feel welcoming when almost empty and others less so at any time. Still, a judgement must be made and a decision reached.

Our contenders this year were The Black Horse at Castle Rising, the Blue Bell at Stoke Ferry, The Live and Let Live in Lynn and the White Hart Free House in Ashill. and the winner is …The White Hart.

Congratulations to Johnathan and his team who have kept up the high standards since his last success in the competition. I can tell you how great it is, but really, it’s best if you visit it and see for yourself.

bar.man@btinternet.com