branch awards
 
Pub of the Year 2013 - England 
The Brewery Tap, ChesterBrewery Tap, Lower Bridge Street, Chester

Retaining its crown from the previous year, the Brewery Tap was the inspiration of Spitting Feathers brewery who had the vision to revitalise this abandoned one-time Jacobean great hall and, as such, earn themselves award recognition from English Heritage. Inside is a high roofed, candle-lit, simply furnished main bar and cosier adjacent room. A kitchen at the rear caters for diners while Spitting Feathers ales usually feature on the counter plus several changing beers. 

Previous: Brewery Tap, Chester / Telford's Warehouse, Chester (2012 joint); Pied Bull, Chester (2011); Brewery Tap, Chester (2010); Old Harkers Arms, Chester (2009); Blue Bell, Tushingham (2008); Old Harkers Arms, Chester (2007); Bunbury Arms, Stoak (2006)

Brewery Tap

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Pub of the Year 2013 - Wales
Royal Oak, Wrexham

Known locally as "The Embassy" due to its association with the Free Polish Army garrison during WW2, things had become a bit extreme for the Royal Oak by 2007. It was then a very run down, seedy bar known as the Ambasada serving bottled Polish lagers to migrant workers. Luckily Market Drayton based brewers Joules took over the reins and, after a marvellous restoration which involved installation of wood-panelling, etched mirrors and stained glass, the Royal Oak re-opened in 2009 serving cask beer. Nowadays you'll find the Joules range on the handpumps as well as a free-to-choose guest ale (recent examples being from Salopian, Ossett, Titanic and Waen) plus Weston's Old Rosie cider. Congrats to Tracey and Sean.

Previous: Bridge End, Ruabon (2012-10 inc.); Sun, Llangollen (2009); Peal o'Bells, Holt (2008); Rose & Crown, Graianrhyd (2007 & 2006)

Royal Oak    

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Pub of the Season: Spring 2013
G
lynne Arms, Hawarden

Re-opened in impressive style in May 2012 retaining many features of the original 200-year-old coaching inn plus some admirably quirky decor. It serves up to five, generally locally sourced guest ales. 

Glynne Arms

Previous: n/a (2012); Stamford Bridge, nr Tarvin (2011); n/a (2010); n/a (2009); Corn Mill, Llangollen (2008); n/a (2007); Griffin, Gresford (2006)

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Pub of the Season: Winter 2013
Royal Oak, Wrexham

Narrow town centre pub owned by the Market Drayton based Joules Brewery. Worth a visit to see the wood-panelling, etched mirrors and stained glass windows as well as sampling the Joules beers.
Now branch Pub of the Year 2013 !!!

Previous: Ffrwd, Cefn-y-Bedd (2012), Pied Bull, Chester (2011); Black Lion, Bersham (2010); Brewery Tap, Chester (2009); Carlton Tavern, Handbridge (2008); Ship Victory, Chester (2007)

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Angie and Spadge at the Royal Oak, HoolePub of the Season: Autumn 2012
Royal Oak
, Hoole, Chester

Despite its  modern décor and appearance the Lodge Bar, with its competitive pricing policy and enlightened selection of changing guest beers, attracts plenty of cask ale drinkers thus ensuring a timely consumption of the goods on offer. It also shows a bar doesn’t have to be of the traditional ‘Olde Worlde’ ilk in order to win awards or, more importantly, provide a good experience for the customers.

Previous: Bawn Lodge, Hoole (2011); Royal Oak, Wrexham (2010); Bridge Inn, Boughton (2009); n/a (2008); Nag's Head, Lavister (2007); Peal o'Bells, Holt (2006)

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Pub of the Season: Summer 2012 
Goshawk, Mouldsworth

A red-brick former coaching inn belonging to the real ale minded Woodward & Falconer chain. Convenient for walks in the nearby Delamere Forest and handily located opposite Mouldsworth train station, the pub typically serves Brimstage Piffle, ales from Weetwood plus guest ales. If the beer and highly rated food don't tempt you to call in there's also an attractive rear garden and side decking over looking a crown bowling green.

The Goshawk
 
Previous: Old Cottage, Chester (2011); n/a (2010); Queen's Head, Sarn (2009); Sun, Eryrys (2008); Pheasant, Higher Burwardsley (2007); Willey Moor Lock Tavern, nr. Whitchurch (2006)

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FOOTNOTES:

Pub of the Year is our top award and goes to the pub that we believe has been consistently the best over the previous year. The criteria for winning is not just for beer quality but for other factors too - value for money, diversity of customers, sympathy with CAMRA aims and community spirit for example. The pubs are assessed on these categories by individual branch members and then submitted by a specified deadline.

Our branch is quite unsual in having two Pub of the Year awards. Straddling the border means we are allowed to have both an English and a Welsh winner. These then go forward into the voting for the Merseyside, Cheshire & North Wales Regional Pub of the Year. The winners from each region then progress into the national voting to decide the overall CAMRA Pub of the Year.

Constitutionally no pub can win the award more than three years running.

Other awards are on an ad hoc basis, again decided by a vote within the branch based on earlier nominations. Unlike the annual award there is no set criteria for a pub to meet in order to win.  It is awarded at the discretion of the branch and several recipients have since gone on further to win our Pub of the Year award.