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Pub is spot on for beer, service and atmosphere

Last Updated: 10:40 GMT 15/02/2008

The Old Spot Inn in Dursley has been chosen by the nation's beer aficionados as the Best Pub in Britain.

Camra, the Campaign for Real Ale, has chosen the pub which is named after a breed of pig - the Gloucestershire old spot - in its National Pub of the Year competition.

The experts said it had all the criteria needed to make a good pub, including the quality of the beer, atmosphere, decor, customer service, clientele mix and value for money.

The pub is described in Camra's Good Beer Guide 2008 as a 100-year-old free house which has been sympathetically restored by its owner Ric Sainty and enhanced by log fires and brewery memorabilia.

The pub even serves a pint of beer by Uley brewers called Old Ric.

Customers can also enjoy five guest beers, mainly from micro-breweries, served in five separate drinking areas, with a menu of wholesome food, in a convivial atmosphere.

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

Camra said that the pub managers Steve Herbert and his wife Belinda were dedicated to maintaining the local character of the pub within the community and realised that quality real ales were an important factor in offering their local choice at the bar.

Licensee Mr Herbert said: "I am overwhelmed. To be judged the best pub in Britain is a dream come true.

"Belinda and I would like to thank all the staff for their hard work over the past year, and the locals for their loyalty to the Old Spot Inn. Without them this wouldn't be possible.

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

Owners Ric and Ellie Sainty began transforming the pub in 1993 when they bought the run-down premises from brewers Whitbread, then called the Fox and Hounds.

The couple retired in 2001 and handed over the day-to-day running of the inn to Steve and Belinda.

Visit the article at The Evening Post Online Reproduced courtesy of The Bristol Evening Post. Friday 15th February 2008.

And this ...

Camra pub of year named

Last Updated: 12:20 GMT 15/02/2008

A Gloucestershire pub named after a breed of pig has been named the best in Britain.

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) praised the Old Spot Inn, calling it a well-run community pub.

Based in Dursley on the Cotswold Way, the 100-year-old free house is named after the Gloucestershire Old Spot pig.

It beat other contenders in the Camra competition when assessed for its beer, atmosphere, decor, customer service and value for money.

Camra pubs director Julian Hough said: "The Old Spot Inn is a great example of how successful a well-run community pub can be."

The award was announced to publicise the launch of Camra's community pubs week which encourages people to regularly visit pubs at this traditionally quiet time of year.

It comes as the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers said the number of community pubs had dropped 10% since March last year.

The trade body for pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants said a raft of legislation introduced in the past decade had hiked the cost of running small pubs.

Visit the article at The Evening Post Online Reproduced courtesy of The Lancashire Evening Post. Friday 15th February 2008.