Awards

The 2019 CAMRA National Pub of the Year award plaque for The Bell Inn was presented to Heather and Hugh Macaulay by CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona on 12 February, 2020. The Bell has become one of only four pubs to have won the prestigious award twice. Roy Bailey’s photo of the previous presentation of the […]

After previously winning the award in 2015, 2017 & 2018, the Catherine Wheel, Newbury was awarded West Berkshire CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year 2019. Cider expert Rod Holmes presented the certificate to landlord Warwick Heskins on 11 November and congratulated him on stocking a wide range of cider and perry from cidermakers like Pang […]

Thatcham pubs rarely win CAMRA awards but the efforts of Lisa and Louis Ludewig generated nominations that led to the West Berkshire CAMRA 2019 Community Pub of the Year award for the Kings Head, Thatcham. Since arriving at the former coaching inn with its large beer garden in October 2018, they have introduced Scooter meets, […]

On 8 May, announcing that The Bell Inn, Aldworth is West Berkshire CAMRA’s Pub of the Year 2019, branch chairman Andy Pinkard said This year, the CAMRA selection criteria for the Pub of the Year put equal emphasis on both the quality of beer and the pub’s role at the centre of a community. Great […]

The Hungerford Club, Hungerford awarded Club of the Year 2019 by West Berkshire CAMRA The Hungerford Club retains the title of Club of the Year, awarded by the West Berkshire Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). With over 500 members, the Hungerford Club is a thriving community asset and new members are always welcome. The club […]

The award is shared between the <a href="http://westberkscamra.org.uk/awards/community-poty-2018-the-cottage/">Cottage Inn</a>, Upper Bucklebury, the <a href="http://westberkscamra.org.uk/awards/community-poty-2018-old-london-apprentice/">Old London Apprentice</a> and the <a href="http://westberkscamra.org.uk/awards/community-poty-2018-cow-cask/">Cow & Cask</a>, Newbury.

With its award, the Cow & Cask showed that small is beautiful for the micropub’s inclusive and welcoming environment, hosted by landlord Ian Batho, allowing conversations and support networks to develop. Without room for a pool table or darts to be played safely, the crib team has thrived, winning several awards in the Thatcham Crib […]

The extensive list of facilities, meetings and events that earned the award for the Old London Apprentice.   Ken and Caroline Amor are proud of what they have achieved in their three and a half years and say ‘it really does feel like a proper community pub’. The What’s On blackboard at the front of the pub displays the wide range of events […]

On 18 October, at the Catherine Wheel, Newbury, Rod Holmes presented newly-wed landlords, Pauline and Warwick Heskins, with the West Berkshire CAMRA 2017 Cider Pub of the Year award. Six local cidermakers, some visible in the photo, were on hand to describe their products and techniques. See pages 6/7 for a profile of Greenham Fallout […]

On Monday 30 April, Branch Chairman Andy Pinkard presented the West Berkshire CAMRA 2018 Pub of the Year award to Warwick and Pauline Heskins. The Catherine Wheel had previously won the Branch’s Cider Pub of the Year award in 2015 and 2017. The new award confirms the successful adaptation of a pub that used to mainly serve lagers before 2014 into a […]