From the Highlands of Scotland to the very tip of Cornwall, we’ve put together a collection of some of Britain’s best boozers, with the help of the National Pub and Bar Awards. Head judge Tristan O’Hana said: “Pubs are absolutely essential. They are pillars of community; they are hubs, they are sanctuaries.”
Our selection has everything, from backstreet boozers to long-standing locals and gastropubs. And like any good British pub they’ve all got a bit of history, and the ones in here include tales of bears and Dick Turpin. Somehow, a karaoke bar snuck in, but we aim to please everyone. The first round is on you...
Northern of England
We’re kicking off in the North of England where, since 2013, the Cricketers Arms in St Helens has been, ahem, knocking locals for six. A proper community pub, offering more than a dozen cask ales, a long list of ciders in the summer, micro-brewery on site, entertainment and food.
Boarded up in 2013, and with no cask ales since the 1980s, it’s now a firm favourite with locals and travelling ale fans alike. Andy and Denise Evans rescued the pub, which became CAMRA’s best in Britain just a few years later.
