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West Cumbria and Western Lakes

Pub of the Season Awards

Every Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, local CAMRA members vote on which is to be 'Pub of the Season'. Pubs chosen are presented with a framed certificate and as much publicity as we can muster!

These are the chosen pubs, most recent first, with links to articles from What Ales about the pub, and photos taken at the presentation, where available.

Winter 2005: The Pheasant Inn, Bassenthwaite Lake

Autumn 2005: The Boot Inn, Boot, Eskdale formerly the Burnmoor Inn. See What Ales Autumn 2005 article.

Summer 2005: The Brook, Cleator See What Ales Summer 2005 article

Spring 2005: The Punchbowl, Great Broughton See What Ales Spring 2005 article

Winter 2004: The Ploughman, Dearham See What Ales Winter 2004 article

Autumn 2004: The Swan Inn, Cockermouth See What Ales Autumn 2004 article

Summer 2004: The Bridge Inn, Santon Bridge See What Ales Summer 2004 article

Spring 2004: The Bitter End, Cockermouth See What Ales Spring 2004 article

Winter 2003: The Black Bull, Cockermouth, presented during Christmas social and pub crawl on December 20th. See photo and article from What Ales

Autumn 2003: The Wasdale Head Inn, presented during bus outing to Santon Bridge, Wasdale and Gosforth on September 27th. See photo and article from What Ales

Summer 2003: The Dog & Gun in Keswick The award was presented on Wed August 6th, as part of the branch's visit to several Keswick town centre pubs.photo and further details of pub.

Spring 2003: The Albion at Silloth The branch held their meeting there and a presentation was made during the evening.... photo and further details of pub.

Winter 2002: The Swan at Westnewton
A minibus trip to a branch meeting where we presented the certificate and enjoyed some Yates and Jennings beers... photo and further details of pub.

Autumn 2002: Brook House in Boot, Eskdale was chosen and branch members travelled by train and Ratty on a lovely sunny Saturday in September...photo and further details of pub.

Summer 2002:: Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater.
The presentation was made on Saturday June 29th, in the afternoon. There was a good attendance of members and guests and a sumptuous buffet was laid on for all... photo and further details of pub
The branch used the opportunity to visit the Wheatsheaf at Low Lorton, The Bridge and the Fish at Buttermere, and some even went walking! The bus driver had some close encounters!!!

Spring 2002: The Bush at Cockermouth.
The Bush at Cockermouth has long been one of our favourite pubs and fully deserves this award. see photo.

Winter 2001: The Shepherds Arms at Ennerdale bridge.
... further details and photo.


CAMRA Pub of The Year Awards

Every year, all branch members can be involved in selecting the branch Pub of the Year. The winner is presented with a certificate and goes through to the next stage: the Cumbria Pub of the Year, which is chosen from each of the four Cumbrian branches of Camra. The winner of this then goes head to head with the winner of the Lancashire branches and one is chosen to become the West Pennines Pub of the Year, and finally, all the regional winners are compared and a national Pub of the Year is chosen.



West Cumbria Pub of the Year, 2003, 2004 and 2005

Pub of the Year this year, 2004, 2003 and runner-up in 2002, is the Kirkstile Inn at Loweswater. This is a hugely popular choice, it having been a pub of the season, too, in 2002. Members again enjoyed a Saturday afternoon visit there, some getting the chance to look at the micro brewery, now producing additional beers.
Two articles to read: 2003, 2005

(Previous years' winner, for four years, the Bitter End, Cockermouth ....
further details....)



The Cumbria Pub of the Year for 2004,

CAMRA branches in Cumbria selected the Manor Arms in Broughton-in-Furness as the Cumbria Pub of the Year. Owned and run by Dave Varty and son Scott, the Manor has led the way in a real ale boom in the small market town of Broughton. The Manor stands on the corner of the Georgian square in the centre of Broughton; regular beers are Coniston Bluebird, Taylor’s Best Bitter, and Yates Bitter; there are t hree guest beers – always something interesting – and draft Liefman’s Kriek. It beat off strong competition from the Kirkstile Inn and the Greyhound at Shap to win the Cumbria nomination. An award was presented to Dave and Scott during the Cumbria launch of the 2005 Good Beer Guide on 18th September Congratulations to Dave and Scott.

West Pennines Regional Pub of the Year award 2004

The Manor Arms at Broughton in Furness faced the Cartford Hotel, home of the Hart brewery at Little Eccleston, in a head-to-head, to win the West Pennines regional award. This success means that the Manor has reached the final stages of the competition and is one of sixteen regional winners.

It will now compete against the three other Northern winners: the Arden Arms in Stockport; the Ship in Middlestone, Co Durham; and the Port Royal in Port Bannatyne, Isle of Bute, to get to final four. The overall winner will be announced during National Pubs Week, 19th - 26th January 2005.

National Pub of the Year 2004

could be the Manor! Wait with bated breath and watch this space!

Club of the Year

The Cumbrian Club of the year is the Rugby Union Club on Warwick Road in Carlisle, where excellent Yates Bitter and Tetleys Bitter, and occasional guest beers are served.


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