North Cheshire
Pub Awards

North Cheshire Pub of the Year 2007; Ring o' Bells, Lower Stretton

Community Pub of the Year 2007; Hare & Hounds, Crowton

North Cheshire Pub of the Year 2005; Tavern, Penketh

North Cheshire Club of the Year 2007; Appleton Thorn Village Hall

North Cheshire Club of the Year 2006; Appleton Thorn Village Hall

North Cheshire Club of the Year 2003; Barnton Cricket Club

Club of the Year 2002

Grappenhall Community Centre

...was the worthy recipient of this prestigious award earlier this year. The club is under the able management of Bill Hinchcliffe, and while it opened in 1975, it has served cask ales for seven years. The Ruddles Best Bitter is complemented by two guest beers, and the quality of the cellarmanship has been such that the club has featured in the national Good Beer Guide in four of the last five years. For even more choice, there is an annual beer festival, usually in April. With a wide range of sporting, social and community functions, the club is very much the hub of the village. Open to members and to CAMRA members on production of the membership card, this is a worthy recipient of the award. A hearty ‘well done’ to Bill and all his staff. Keep up the good work!

NORTH CHESHIRE PUB OF THE YEAR 2002
The Ferry Inn, Penketh

"The Ferry", as it is known locally, nestles between the Sankey-St. Helens Canal (popular with fishermen from far and wide) and the River Mersey, on the outskirts of Penketh. This site dates back to 1160 as a ferry crossing point over the Mersey, being the narrowest part of the Mersey for many miles. Access to the pub from the car park is by crossing a railway line, occasionally used by trains supplying coal to the nearby Fiddlers Ferry power station. There is also a disused swing bridge, which enables crossing of the canal where the local yacht marina can be seen, a few hundred yards away. Upon entering the pub there are several sign-written plaques fixed to the front bar area, each containing different years and a line. This somewhat unusual sight signifies the different years on which the pub was flooded by surrounding waterways and the level reached. Due to preventative measures the most recent date, although one of the highest levels was in February 1997. The hand pumps boast an excellent selection of six cask conditioned beers with regular choices of Morland Old Speckled Hen, Boddingtons Bitter, Courage Directors and Coach House Postlethwaite’s being supplemented by 2 constantly changing Guest Beers which normally sell out within one or two days, such is their popularity. Cooked food is no longer available as the proprietors, Terry and Pat, wish to concentrate on keeping the excellent beer quality and expanding an ever-growing number of Whiskeys, currently at 310 and counting. Pat has a personal ambition to stock the largest number of Irish Whiskeys of any outlet in the world and the number of visitors travelling significant distances to sample is testimony that this challenge is on target.

North Cheshire Village Pub of the Year 2000.

George & Dragon

Great Budworth

The Warrington & North Cheshire Branch of CAMRA made an award to its Village Pub of the Year 2000. The wonderful George & Dragon in Great Budworth was the worthy recipient.

Set in one of the most picturesque villages in England, if not the world, the George is dear to the hearts of many of us. Good food, and a regularly updated choice of two guest cask beers in a lovely old building, open fires, a function room, brilliant walks and cycling outside the door. I could go on, but, really, what more could you ask for? Just go, and see for yourself why this is one of our flagship pubs.