The Bailey Head pub, in Oswestry, has been named CAMRA West Midlands Regional Pub of the Year and now goes into the round of 17 for the national award.
Licensees Duncan Borrowman and Grace Goodlad celebrate with Dave Ricketts, from CAMRA, and some of their regulars. Photographs: Graham Mitchell
The pub, owned by husband and wife team Duncan Borrowman and Grace Goodlad, has won numerous CAMRA awards in the eight and half years since it opened, but has never gone this far in the Pub of the Year competition.
It narrowly beat the Tamworth Tap, which has won the national competition for the last two years. This is just a few weeks after it won the CAMRA West Midlands Cider Pub of the Year competition.
“It has been quite a journey since we opened in March 2016, not knowing at first if Oswestry would be receptive to our real ale and craft beer focus, then going through Covid and more recently the cost of living crisis,” said Duncan.
“But CAMRA locally have been very supportive, awarding us the Shrewsbury and West Shropshire market towns Pub of the Year award every year, and the overall Shrewsbury and West Shropshire Pub of the Year three times.
“To have gone on this year to win Shropshire Pub of the Year and West Midlands Regional Pub of the Year is beyond our wildest dreams.”
Grace added: “This is all about the community. We have to thank the Bailey Head community, our staff, and customers, without whom this would not be possible.
“This award is not only for the quality of the beer, but also the knowledge of our staff, cleanliness and community focus. It is a reflection on our staff that we can come out on top against thousands of other pubs. Our job now is to keep up the standards and constantly push to be better.”
Presenting the award, Dave Ricketts, from CAMRA said: “This is the first time a pub has won both West Midlands Pub of the Year and West Midlands Cider Pub of the Year. It a great achievement by the Bailey Head, the jewel in the crown, to win both.”
