The Bell Inn Aldworth receives CAMRA Golden Award
The Bell Inn in Aldworth has received another golden accolade from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
The pub received a Golden Award as part of CAMRA's 50th anniversary celebrations throughout 2021.
The award recognises people, groups or businesses that have made a significant contribution to CAMRA’s aims.
The Bell Inn is a long-standing CAMRA national award-winning pub and was CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year in 2020.
It is also one of the only pubs in Berkshire to boast a heritage pub interior and its name refers to bells which were part of the coat of arms of the traditional landowners.
CAMRA said that the pub's large open garden and excellent beer attracted walkers and drinkers from far and wide.
CAMRA’s awards director Gary Timmins said: “I am delighted to be honouring the Bell Inn today with a CAMRA Golden Award. 2021 is our anniversary year, and we want to take this opportunity to celebrate the successes of great British locals as well as CAMRA’s achievements – we wouldn’t have got far without their support!
“This anniversary comes on the heels of an incredibly difficult time for the industry after a year of lockdowns and restrictions. I hope the team behind The Bell Inn and their locals will take this award as appreciation for all the hard work involved in running the pub, over the decades and especially now. Nominations were submitted by our members and consumers, which says a lot about the support and impact they have had.
“Winners have been chosen for their successes in standing the test of time; for being convivial, characterful and community-focused, and of course for consistently pouring great pints. I applaud The Bell Inn for their dedication, for being community stalwarts and campaigning heroes.”
The full successful cohort contains 32 pubs, including five that have appeared in all 48 editions of the Good Beer Guide, and the longest standing community-owned pub in the country.
The Bell, which has been run by the same family for 250 years, beat off competition from around 47,500 other pubs to win national pub of the year last year.
Judges praised the inn for its “strong community focus, relaxed ambience and great beer”.
Nominations for the Golden Awards were made by CAMRA members and locals. More than 240 pubs submitted were whittled down to the list of awardees.
The Golden Awards will be celebrating recipients in three different categories: ‘Pubs’, ‘Pints’, and ‘People’. The winners in the ‘Pints’ and ‘People’ categories will be announced later in the year.
CAMRA will be celebrating their 50th anniversary throughout 2021, with activities including a new biography 50 Years of CAMRA, awards for campaigners, pubs and breweries, virtual festivals, and commemorative merchandise.
For more information visit https://camra.org.uk/50-years/
