A Hove micropub has won a CAMRA Pub of the Year prize, beating more than 500 other venues to the prestigious award.
The Watchmaker’s Arms, in Goldstone Villas, Hove, topped a poll of local CAMRA members a year being named runner up.
Members of Brighton and South Downs CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) presented owners Rick and Ruth Evans with a certificate and shield.
Asked what the award meant to them, Rick said: “It’s a testament to the hard work and effort we’ve put in, alongside our fantastic team of Luciano and Jon, to be recognised in this way.”
Ruth said: “We’d like to thank everyone who voted for us and all our regulars and visitors who really make the pub what it is. We’re absolutely thrilled.”
The pub will now be nominated for the regional Pub of the Year prize, with the winner due to be announced later in the year.
Brighton and South Downs CAMRA said: “Our members nominate pubs for consideration and they are then judged by members, taking into consideration the consistency and quality of the real ale served throughout the year.”
CAMRA said that other factors included “the pub’s knowledge of cask ale, their welcome, the décor, cleanliness and atmosphere of the pub and their support for CAMRA aims and community activities”.
The two runners up this tear were the Foghorn, in Boundary Road, Hove, and the Duke of Wellington, in Brighton Road, Shoreham.
CAMRA said that the competition this year was a close-run affair and three Brighton pubs were among seven to be highly commended.
They were the Evening Star, in Surrey Street, the Hole in the Wall, formerly the Queensberry Arms, in Queensberry Mews, and the Great Eastern, Trafalgar Street.
The other four were the Old Boot Inn, in High Street, Seaford, and three Lewes pubs – the Brewers Arms, in High Street, the Elephant and Castle, in White Hill, and the Gardener’s Arms, in Cliffe High Street.
