We are astounded to have made it to the final four for the CAMRA National Pub of the Year!
Everyone is invited to the presentation of our finalists certificate at 1pm on Saturday, 23 November. The bar will feature three collaboration cask beers we are brewing with Riverhead (Ossett), Castle Rock and Stonehouse.
CAMRA said:
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has announced the four best pubs in the UK as part of its prestigious Pub of the Year 2024 competition
The Bailey Head has been named one of the four best pubs in the UK after winning a place in the Super Regional round of the Pub of the Year competition.
Nestled near the Welsh borders in the charming market town of Oswestry, the Bailey Head is a must visit for beer and cider lovers. The pub has one of the largest beer ranges of any in Shropshire, claiming to have sold over 3,400 different draught beers since opening in March 2016. Six constantly changing cask beers, always including one dark beer, are supplemented by eleven other draught beers, plus four ciders and a perry. The pub also has a substantial range of canned and bottled beers from across the UK and overseas.
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) named the pub the UK’s Best Rural Independent Craft Beer Pub or Bar in 2020, and it has been a finalist for the same award many times since. Grace, Duncan, and their team also organise regular tap takeovers and meet the brewer events for the local community.
Landlord Duncan Borrowman said: “To say we are shocked to make it into the final four is an understatement. I am not sure we will ever stop pinching ourselves. It is a testament to our hard-working small team of dedicated staff and our loyal regulars.”
Landlady Grace Goodlad said: “When we bought the pub nearly nine years ago, we never dreamt this could happen. It had been failing under the ownership of a major pub company and CAMRA had it protected as an Asset of Community Value. We couldn’t have done this without that happening.”
Shelly Bentley, West Midlands Regional Director for CAMRA, said:
“A huge congratulations is in order to all at the Bailey Head who have put in the phenomenally hard work to achieve this accolade. I applaud Duncan and Grace’s passion to delivering an exceptional range of beers for their customers, who are very clearly at the centre of Bailey Head’s heart.
“The journey from a tired pub that needed an Asset of Community Value protection, to now achieving Super Regional Pub of the Year is astounding. This is certainly reflected in Duncan, Grace and the rest of the team’s devotion to deliver great beer to their local community, and I hope regulars and new visitors alike will be raising a toast to them all during their next visit.”
National Pub of the Year Coordinator Andrea Briers said: “I am thrilled to unveil our top four pubs in the UK, and I could not hope for a better set of finalists. It gets harder each year to whittle down the regional and national top 17 pubs to just four places, such is the standard of the competition. These fantastic four are the epitome of what a good pub should be; welcoming to all, friendly hardworking staff and serve well maintained cask beer for a wonderful pub going experience. I am excited to find out which one will be crowned the best pub in the UK.”
“Pubs need our support more than ever, as the licensed trade continues to feel the strain under the burden of unfair tax, high costs and regulations. I urge all pub lovers and beer drinkers to experience not only our incredible Pub of the Year finalists, but support as many pubs as possible.”
