One Coventry boozer and six based in Warwickshire are toasting their additions to the Campaign for Real Ale's Good Beer Guide 2024. And glasses are being raised at a Warwickshire brewery that was also welcomed into the latest edition of the Guide, a bible for beer guzzlers up and down the land.
The Royal Oak in Earlsdon, Attleborough Arms in Attleborough, Bird in Hand in Austrey, Eagle in Warwick Mother Huffcap in Great Alne, Raglan Arms in Rugby and Warwickshire Lad in Wood End all got the nod in 'the definitive beer drinker's guide'. BRUBL, based in Leamington Spa, flew the flag for local breweries.
Now in its 51st year, CAMRA's annual publication champions the very best in the pub and brewery game at an incredibly challenging time for the industry as a whole. According to the Guide, the wider West Midlands actually saw a net gain of one brewery over the past 12 months - in stark contrast to the UK which recorded a net loss of 60.
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This net loss is 'a worrying reminder that a lack of support from the Government means dire consequences for local businesses', a CAMRA spokesperson said, 'in the wake of a cost-of-business crisis and the constant pressure of fuel bills'.
A total of 76 pubs and seven breweries were added to the Guide's West Midlands section, incorporating Warwickshire, the West Midlands (county), Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. The region now boasts a total of 386 pubs and 132 breweries in the highly-respected brochure.
The latest edition, which surveys 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, carries a striking Iron Maiden-inspired cover and a foreword from the rock band's legendary singer Bruce Dickinson. Dickinson's foreword shines a spotlight on the cultural tradition of pubs within the UK, the importance of protecting the heritage, charm and welcoming nature of pubs and clubs, and not taking them for granted.
In addition to the pandemic and rising fuel costs, the trade is said to face 'an impending threat' from unlawful demolitions which CAMRA has declared a ‘national scandal’ in the wake of the demolition of the Crooked House in Himley. CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said: "The last few years have been an incredibly difficult time for the industry, and we need more support than ever before to keep our nation’s pubs and breweries open and thriving.
"I’d encourage everyone to use this year's Guide to visit the very best pubs and breweries across the UK and support them for generations to come." Compiled by thousands of independent volunteers, the Good Beer Guide helps to 'identify significant trends and themes locally and nationally'. Copies of the 2024 edition can be ordered here.
Newly-added local businesses:
Royal Oak - Earlsdon Street, Earlsdon, Coventry
Attleborough Arms - Highfield Road, Attleborough
Bird in Hand - Main Road, Austrey
Eagle - The Holloway, Warwick
Mother Huffcap - Spernall Lane, Great Alne
Raglan Arms - Dunchurch Road, Rugby
Warwickshire Lad - Broad Lane, Wood End
BRUBL (brewery) - Unit 3, Railway Arch, Victoria Business Centre, Neilston Street, Leamington Spa
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