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Pub of the Year Guidelines
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.
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Are microbreweries supported?
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Are there beers rarely seen in the area?
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Is real cider available?
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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!
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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.
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Are price lists and opening hours prominently displayed?
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Are adequate facilities available for non-smokers (if this
is important to you)?
Service and Welcome
Set your own criteria
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Is the welcome genuine, or do you appear to be just another
source of revenue?
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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?
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You may feel that a "child-friendly" pub is important
- equally, you may prefer an environment where children are excluded from
drinking areas.
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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
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Are there CAMRA posters or brochures on display, especially
those with membership forms attached?
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Could you buy (or even borrow) the latest Good Beer Guide?
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Is cask beer given a positive push?
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If brewery-owned, has the publican attempted to obtain "guest" beers?
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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
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VFM should relate to the whole experience, not just how cheap
the beer is.
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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!
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