Everyone's idea of the perfect pub is different. This, of course, is what has led to the massive diversity of our favourite British institution. As CAMRA members we must not forget our priorities - good real ale and cider, served well. And we should hopefully also look out for pubs that demonstrate a commitment to CAMRA, as well as the rest of their customers. But ultimately, our Pub of the Year Awards should allow each and every member to have their say.
Nominations are taken all year round.
So we're able to select our final shortlist, we simply ask that you select which of the pubs on our "long-list" you feel warrant inclusion. Voting is very simple, just go to our Voting page and follow the instructions. You may select up to six pubs. Those receiving the most votes by our AGM will go through to the final round.
In the final round of voting, we ask everyone to give marks out of 10 on each of the following categories. What marks you give, and how you come to your decision, is entirely up to you.
The guidelines below are only suggestions, but reflect the things which are looked for in the county, regional and national rounds of the competition.
Quality of Beers and Ciders
This is the most important category, which is why we give
it a higher "weighting" when calculating the totals.
- Are microbreweries supported?
- Are there beers rarely seen in the area?
- Is real cider available?
- Remember - to most people, a pub with only 2/3 beers in perfect condition is better than 6 second-raters - but you choose!
Atmosphere, Style & Décor
Totally subjective, but do YOU like it!
- Has the most been made of the space/building type available? You may prefer a well kept estate pub above a former rural "gem" which has been badly maintained.
- Are price lists and opening hours prominently displayed?
- Are adequate facilities available for non-smokers (if this is important to you)?
Service and Welcome
Set your own criteria
- Is the welcome genuine, or do you appear to be just another source of revenue?
- If you have a complaint (i.e. short/poor quality pint), how is it dealt with?
Clientele Mix
Again subjective, but do you feel comfortable with the
people around you?
- You may feel that a "child-friendly" pub is important - equally, you may prefer an environment where children are excluded from drinking areas.
- Is the pub fully inclusive (i.e. catering for those with disabilities - given the confines of space and building type; CAMRA is also opposed to restrictions on dress, shape size, gender, sexuality, colour, ethnic origin or religion)
Sympathy with CAMRA Aims
- Are there CAMRA posters or brochures on display, especially those with membership forms attached?
- Could you buy (or even borrow) the latest Good Beer Guide?
- Is cask beer given a positive push?
- If brewery-owned, has the publican attempted to obtain "guest" beers?
- If you have a chance to talk to the publicans or staff, what are their views on CAMRA? Are they members? How knowledgeable are they about the beers on offer, and the breweries which produce them?
Value for Money
- VFM should relate to the whole experience, not just how cheap the beer is.
- Would you readily come back again - would you go out of your way to revisit?
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It's your money, you decide!