Three-sy does it as pub comes out top... again!
Ale lovers serve up awards to area’s best venues during beer festival
LANDLORD Martin Ford has raised a glass to a hat-trick of titles - after his pub was once again named the best in the ‘Potteries’.
Newcastle’s Hopinn saw off competition from a number of venues across the area to be given the thumbs up by ale fans and scoop the CAMRA Potteries Pub of the Year for the third year running.
The result was announced at this year’s Stoke Beer and Cider Festival where organisers served up awards for the most popular venues across North Staffordshire’s vibrant pub scene.
Martin admitted he was delighted to once again collect the much soughtafter prize. The 63-year-old said: “This is the third time we have won the award. It’s really nice that people appreciate everything we do. Hopefully it’s down to the effort we make. I travel all over the country looking for good beers. We have got nice customers and that makes for a good atmosphere.”
The Holy Inadequate, at Etruria, was named runner-up, and the Bull’s Head, at Burslem, came in third place at the prize-giving ceremony, held on the last day of the highly successful festival, which was held at Spode’s China Hall for the first time.
Martin added: “They have done a great job with the festival. The new venue is better, there have been a lot of people enjoying themselves and it brings us all together. We’re all after the same thing, which is good beer and good company.”
In the Cider Pub of the Year category, there was more success for Newcastle with Bridge Street Ale House landing top prize while the Bull’s Head, at Burslem, and the Swan, at Bignall End, both earned merits.
Graham ‘Grum’ Newbury, aged 45, who runs Bridge Street Ale House, said: “I’m thrilled. We’ve got the widest range of cider in the area. I love cider.
“I think this year’s festival is fantastic. I think the venue is far better.”
Other winners included Porthill Park Cricket Club, which won the Club of the Year, and Sam and Shaun Russell, of the Congress, in Longton, who won the Barry Underwood Award for services to real ale.
The Fountain Inn, at Leek, won CAMRA Staffordshire Moorlands Pub of the Year, with the Crossways, at Blythe Bridge, named Village Pub of the Year, and the Black Lion, at Consall Forge, the Cider Pub of the Year.
The three-day event, organised by the Potteries CAMRA branch, marked the 38th beer festival, which was sponsored by Titanic Brewery. Visitors could choose from 105 real ales, and 75 different ciders.
Chairman Corin Brown said: “We didn’t know how it was going to go with it being a new venue. There’s been numerous challenges and so much hard work behind the scenes.
“But at one point we had 1,700 people in through the doors at one time. That shows people wanted to come here. They have voted with their feet.”