The Final Whistle, Southwell, named CAMRA Nottinghamshire Pub of The Year 2025

A railway-themed pub has scooped a top CAMRA award — being named the best in the county.

The Final Whistle, Southwell, which has a long record of Newark and District CAMRA wins in it’s belt, has beaten out all of the competition in Nottinghamshire to be named the best real ale pub.

The pub has a regular line-up of ten real ales, six craft beers, and six ciders, and the award also takes into account the venue’s service and cleanliness.

Landlord Ollie Brown — who runs the Everards pub alongside Jo Hultum — said: “For us it’s all we’ve set out to achieve really, me and Jo have been running the Final Whistle for 11 years now.

“We’ve won best pub in Newark and District CAMRA seven times, but we wanted to get the whole of Nottinghamshire.

“It’s just incredible.”

Alongside it’s impressive drink selection, the pub also hosts regular live music, comedy nights, and food trucks — adding to its community offering.

This proved a winning combination, as it beat out the top pubs from all five CAMRA branches in Nottinghamshire to be named Pub of The Year.

The Final Whistle has been named Newark CAMRA's district pub of the year in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2025, as well as cider pub of the year 2022.

Ollie added: “It is a massive achievement to beat all the other pubs in Nottinghamshire.

“It’s a big credit to all the staff, past and present, who’ve kept the level of service and beer quality all these years.

“This will certainly bring CAMRA members to Southwell as well.”

Having been named county champions, the pub will now go up against the top choices in the East Midlands — allowing it a chance to be named among the best 16 pubs in the country.