Region’s finest pubs revealed

TWO pubs in the North West have been crowned regional pub of the year and named among the top 16 in the country in the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) latest edition of its Good Beer Guide.

The guide – which features a wide range of pubs from community owned to micropubs – forms part of the nationwide search for the National Pub of the Year.

The former winner of the National pub of the year award, Baum in Rochdale, will once again be representing the Greater Manchester area in this year’s competition.

While cask ale community pub, The Cricketers in St Helens, was selected as the best pub in Merseyside and Cheshire and will now compete for the title of National Pub of the Year, which is to be announced early next year.

National Pub of the Year co-ordinator Andrea Briers said: “You have to be a great pub to get featured in the Good Beer Guide and an absolutely fantastic pub to be named a Regional Pub of the Year – so whatever happens all the pubs should be extremely proud of themselves.”