A pub once described as a ‘lost cause’ has now been named the best pub in Britain after taking the overall title at the Great British Pub Awards. The Great British Pub Awards showcases the wide variety and quality present in the UK pub scene, with an emphasis on excellence for pub goers all around the nation.
A new entrant for 2023, The Cholmondeley Arms, affectionately known to locals as ‘The Chum’, has been named Great British Pub of the Year and named number one ‘Country/Rural Pub’. Owners Tim Bird and Mary Maclaughlin attribute this double victory and the pub’s continued success to the team’s sheer enthusiasm and passion.
The couple own six pubs, previously described as ‘lost causes’ including The Chum and since taking it over in 2011, Tim and Mary have carried out significant restoration and refurbishment work to the former schoolhouse, creating the charm, character, and atmosphere the pub offers today.
Tim Bird, owner of Cholmondeley Arms, said: “After all these years together, it means the world. When we opened, I said we can be a beacon of hope for rural pubs but now we can be an ambassador as the pub of the year for Great Britain. For the team, this is just amazing. Helen [the pub’s general manager] has worked at the Cholmondeley for 12 years and she is the epitome of what our pubs should be. I am so proud.”
On what makes a pub of the year, Bird said consistency over a long period was key. Bird, who has been in the industry for 40 years, said he was “elated” to have won both the overall pub of the year and the rural categories at this year’s awards, but that all the finalists were “amazing”.
The country pub also offers a unique menu, made from locally sourced produce, including its very own renowned hand-crafted steak and kidney pie and ‘Cholmondeley Mess’. A bespoke drinks list is on offer, including the pub’s very own spirit the ‘Cholmondeley Arms Gin’, the jewel in its impressive menu of 366 gins. The Chum also offers country escapes in the ‘Old Headmasters House’, which has six newly refurbished rooms.
The Old Abbey Tap House, in Manchester, won ‘Community Hero’, in recognition of its ‘hub-in-a-pub’. Created for local students, the hub is a place for creativity and diversity as well as research and outreach projects.
‘Punch Pub of the Year’ goes to The Plough Inn, Prestbury, which provides an excellent pub experience in a traditional setting. Owner, Emma Gibbon is also a prolific social campaigner, spearheading the #notjustapub discussion on Twitter, calling for fairer policies and taxes on pub operators.
Ed Bedington, chair of judges for the Great British Pub Awards, said: “We’re delighted to be revealing the best pubs in the country. These businesses are pubs to cherish and support and I’d urge anyone to get out and visit these outstanding operations. We’ve recognised pubs of all types and characters, from community champions to high end food, entertainment focused through to pubs that embrace all the family, even the dog. These are the businesses that really set the standards for others to follow.
“Our overall winner, the Cholmondeley Arms, represents the pinnacle of all our winners – this is a pub that has a wow factor that impresses anyone that crosses the threshold. Impeccably run, this is a business that will offer a warm welcome to all visitors and give them an experience that will be impossible to beat.”
