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The best pub in Britain (official)

Ginny McGrath films inside the Old Spot Inn in Gloucestershire, nominated Pub of the Year 2008 by Camra

Last Updated: 2:50am GMT 15/02/2008

A 100-year-old inn has won the 2008 Pub of the Year award from the Campaign for Real Ale, despite having no juke box, pool table, fruit machine or "theme".

The Old Spot Inn in Dursley, Gloucestershire, has been successful by refusing to follow fashion.

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Steve Herbert, the licensee, said: "Although we do food during the week we would never call ourselves a gastropub. Our drinkers come first, which is why the food stops at 8pm during the week. We don't do chips either.

"Being born and bred in Dursley means a lot to me and to be able to bring this award to this wonderful pub gives me a great sense of achievement."

Julian Hough, Camra's pub director and one of the final judges, said: "The Old Spot Inn is a great example of how successful a well-run community pub can be.

"Steve and Belinda are dedicated to maintaining the local character of the pub within the community and realise that quality real ales are an important factor in offering their local choice at the bar.

"I would like to congratulate everybody at the Old Spot Inn on being judged Britain's finest pub."

The Old Spot Inn is described in Camra's Good Beer Guide, 2008, as: "This 100 year old free house, named after the Gloucestershire Old Spot pig, has been sympathetically restored by its owner, Ric Sainty. The intimate atmosphere is enhanced by log fires and brewery memorabilia.

"As well as Uley's Old Ric, named after the owner, it offers five guest beers, mainly from micro-brewers, served in five separate drinking areas. The wholesome menu is available 12-8pm on week days and 12-3pm at weekends. On the Cotswold Way, this convivial local is a popular watering hole for walkers. The secluded garden has a boules piste."

Camra's National Pub of the Year competition is judged by its membership. Each of the 200 branches vote for their favourite pub. The branch winners are entered into 16 regional competitions and then the 16 winners battle it out to make the Grand Final which consists of 4 pubs.

The award was presented to the Old Spot this lunchtime, with judges saying the competition "analyses all the criteria that makes a good pub - including the quality of the beer, atmosphere, décor, customer service, clientele mix and value for money."

The award marks the start of Camra's Community Pubs Week which starts tomorrow

National Pub of the Year Runners-Up:
Blue Peter Hotel, Kirkcolm, Dumfries & Galloway
Land of Liberty, Peace & Plenty, Heronsgate, Hertfordshire
Turks Head, St Helens, Merseyside

CAMRA'S Regional Pubs of the Year
Central Southern - Rose & Crown, Hawridge, Buckinghamshire
Wessex - Plough Inn, Little London, Hampshire
South & Mid Wales - Borough Arms, Neath, Glamorgan
South West - Old Spot Inn, Dursley, Gloucestershire
Surrey & Sussex - White Horse, Maplehurst, West Sussex
London - Bricklayers Arms, Putney, London
Kent - The Ship Centurion, Whitstable, Kent
East Anglia - Land of Liberty, Peace & Plenty, Heronsgate, Hertfordshire
West Midlands - Bell, Pensax, Worcestershire
East Midlands - Thorold Arms, Harmston, Lincolnshire
Yorkshire - Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Merseyside, Cheshire & North Wales - Turks Head, St. Helens, Merseyside
Greater Manchester - New Oxford, Salford, Greater Manchester
North East - King's Arms, Deptford, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear
West Pennines - Bridge Bier Huis, Burnley, Lancashire
Scotland & Northern Ireland - Blue Peter Hotel, Kirkcolm, Dumfries & Galloway

Visit the article at The Times Online Reproduced courtesy of The Times Online. Friday 15th February 2008.