A presentation has been made to the Strawberry Thief, in Swindon, winner of the new build category in CAMRA’s 2023 Pub Design Awards.
The award presentation at The Strawberry Thief. Left to right are: George Arkell, managing director of Arkell’s Brewery; Richard James, chair of the Swindon and North Wilts branch of CAMRA; and Tom Titcombe, pub manager
Managers Tom and Mairead Titcombe accepted the award along with George and Alex Arkell, of pub owners Arkell’s. The presentation was made by local CAMRA branch chair Richard James, along with fellow members Kevin Galton, Bill
Bendall, Danny Grey, and Bob Major.
The Strawberry Thief, a flagship Arkell’s pub, is in the new development of Tadpole Garden Village, on the edge of Swindon. It has been recognised for its ambitious and innovative design.
It opened in June 2022, and has already become a standout in the pub industry. Arkell’s invested more than £5m into the build of pub. It has over 400 covers, inside and out, making it one of Arkell’s biggest pubs. It looks out onto green
space and lakes.
“We are thrilled that the Arkell’s Strawberry Thief pub has won the new build award from CAMRA,” said George Arkell, managing director of Arkell’s Brewery.
“Our incredible team, including Clark and Maslin, Edmont Complete Solutions, and Concorde BGW Group, have done a fantastic job helping us create a fabulous community pub. Wherever possible, we tried to use local suppliers on the project.
“Our goal from the outset was to create a contemporary pub that the local community could be proud of, with a fantastic bar at its heart serving all our beers.”
Commenting on all the award winners, CAMRA’s awards director, Laura Emson, said: “We hope beer-lovers across the country will seek out these examples of excellence and plan visits to them whether they are local or just visiting.
“It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the pub industry, so let’s all support our locals this year and raise a glass to these shining examples in pub excellence.”
