Pub toasts county award success
Pub staff are celebrating continued success with another award win.
The Horse And Plough, on Long Acre, Bingham, has been named pub of the year for Nottinghamshire by the Campaign For Real Ale Vale of Belvoir Branch.
Also shortlisted were The Staunton Arms, Staunton-in-the-Vale, and The Royal Oak, Car Colston.
The Geese and Fountain, at Croxton Kerrial, was the branch’s overall pub of the year and was the winner for Leicestershire.
The Horse And Plough, run by the Nottinghamshire-based Castle Rock brewery, boasts ten real ales, two of which are permanent with the rest changing frequently.
The assistant manager, Mr Craig Nightingale, said: “We have a great selection of real ales but a lot of credit has to go to our knowledgeable staff who can effectively recommend specific ones to our customers by their tastes.
“We are massively proud to win the award and in doing so have become the first Castle Rock pub to win in two consecutive years.”
Last year it was named overall pub of the year for Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
The Staunton Arms won the Vale branch award in 2013 and 2016.
Cathryn Morley, assistant manager, said: “Our customers love that we have the two guest pumps that we frequently change, so they can continuously try different ones when they visit us.”
The Royal Oak previously won the title in 2009.
Mr Richard Spencer, landlord since 2003, said: “I have been in the business 25 years and the real joy of my job is providing good ale.
“I am pleased we are frequently shortlisted and both of the other pubs have a fantastic reputation so to be among the top pubs in the area makes me extremely proud.”
The Royal Oak looks out over the village cricket ground and pastures where livestock often graze.
The Wheatsheaf, on Long Acre, Bingham, retained the title, Vale of Belvoir cider pub of the year.
It also won the East Midlands regional title for cider in 2017.
The manager, Miss Louise Smith, said: “It is brilliant that we have won it twice on the trot — we have always got dry, medium and fruit ciders available, with a nice range on our four pumps that frequently change.”
