How do we choose our awards?

The Branch has three main awards each year.  These are:

  • Pub of the Year
  • Club of the Year
  • Cider Pub of the Year

Winners of each go forward to enter the Regional and then potentially National competitions.

The Branch chooses the three annual winners usually by the end of March each year.  This date fits with the timetable for Regional judging.

Pub of the Year

Bolton Branch chooses Pub of the Year from a shortlist of up to six pubs.    

The first stage of shortlisting is to choose up to thirteen Branch pubs or clubs for entry to the Good Beer Guide.  Find out about this procedure here.

The 5 or 6 pubs which receive the most votes from members during the GBG selection make up the shortlist of Pub of the Year finalists.  

The ultimate winner of Pub of the Year is that pub which has the greatest cumulative score when each of the following three criteria are ranked (ie in a shortlist of six pubs, the top ranked pub in each category scores 6, the lowest scores 1, the maximum score would be 3×6=18)

  • Scores from volunteers visiting all the pubs soon after the GBG selection meeting and using CAMRA’s national judging system, taking into account factors such as beer quality, cleanliness, service and decor
  • Average beer score, indicating the consistency of cask ale through the year
  • Members votes, either online or at the Branch Meeting (usually April)

Club of the Year

As there are a smaller number of clubs serving consistent quality real ale, a shortlist for Club of the Year is drawn up by the Branch Committee. This takes into account beer scores through the year.  

Members vote from the shortlist either online or at the Branch Meeting.

Cider Pub of the Year

A shortlist of cider pubs is drawn up by the Branch Cider Officer in agreement with the Branch Committee.  This includes only pubs or clubs serving, throughout the year, real cider or perry as defined by CAMRA.  In recent years all of the small number of pubs in the Branch meeting this criterion have been included in this list, in recognition of their commitment to serving real cider or perry.  

The Cider Pub of the Year is chosen from this shortlist using a combination of two criteria:

  • Scores from volunteers visiting all the pubs and using CAMRA’s national judging system for cider pubs, taking into account factors such as cider quality, cleanliness, service and decor.
  • Members votes, either online or at the Branch Meeting

Other awards

In addition to the main awards, the Branch has a number of other awards which are chosen at the discretion of the Committee.  These do not go forward to any Regional or National competitions but are intended to recognise and reward more of the best pubs in the Branch area. They are usually nominated for and voted on by Branch members, but can be awarded directly by the Branch Committee.

These awards can include:

  • Community Pub of the Year – this award recognises a pub which serves cask ale and goes the extra mile to be an asset to the community of Bolton or a particular part of the town.
  • Seasonal Pub Awards (Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring) – similar criteria to Pub of the Year but may have a seasonal aspect
  • Committed to Cask Award – to recognise a pub or club which puts in extra effort to maintain quality cask ale for example in an area of town where it may be hard to find or in a pub from where it may recently have been lost
  • Most Improved Pub of the Year Award – for a pub which has shown great improvement in promoting and serving cask ale to the widest audience
  • Best Beer Range Award – to a pub consistently promoting a range of beer styles
  • Special Awards – such as to those pubs which have been in the Good Beer Guide over many years
  • Individual Awards – to those people who have done a great service to cask ale, real cider or pubs in the town