A PUB in Stratford is raising a glass after being voted the best in Warwickshire.
Stratford Alehouse in Greenhill Street was named by the Shakespeare Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) as Best Pub in Warwickshire for 2016.
The micro pub, which is run jointly by Bill O’Brien and his son-in-law Phil Atherton, concentrates on selling real ales, straight from the cask, along with ciders and wines.
Bill originally got the idea after holidaying in Kent, which is home to the first ever ale house.
And since opening in 2013, the 50 customer capacity watering hole has gone from strength to strength.
The latest accolade comes on the back of the pub being named in the 2015 edition of the beer drinkers bible, The Good Beer Guide.
It also won Shakespeare CAMRA’s Pub of the Summer in 2014.
Speaking about the pub’s success, Bill said: “What sets us apart from other pubs is that many of our customers keep coming back because they are excited by the idea they might find a beer they’ve never tried or even heard of before.
“We also champion the smaller, independent breweries and have generally built really strong relationships with them.
“The fact we don’t serve draught lagers or spirits doesn’t seem to have negatively affected our popularity whatsoever.
“I think we’ve been lucky but that’s not to say it hasn’t been hard work.”
