Category: Awards

Voting for the Sheffield & District Pub of the Year concluded on 19 January and judges are now out and about rating the area winners that members voted for to pick the overall winner.

This means we’ve now moved on to select which pubs across Sheffield and our part of Derbyshire get awarded a place in the 2027 edition of the Good Beer Guide, which is published in time for Christmas 2026.

We’re doing things slightly different this year – CAMRA members have been asked to rate their beer in pubs using the CAMRA.org.uk website all year round and that data has been used to create a long list for potential guide entries which we are now asking members to vote on to choose the best of the best pubs in our area to recommend to visitors as the best places to enjoy good real ale. Vote using the form below before 2 March, at the February branch meeting at the Rutland Arms on Brown Street, Sheffield City Centre, on Tuesday 3 February at 8pm.

Scoring beer in pubs is really easy!

The National Beer Scoring System (NBSS) is a 0-5 point scale for judging beer quality in pubs.

It is an easy to use system that has been designed to assist CAMRA branches in selecting pubs for the Good Beer Guide and also monitor beer quality by encouraging CAMRA members from any part of the world to report beer quality on any pub in the UK.

If you are a CAMRA member, we want you to tell us about the quality of beer in the pubs you visit.

Enter your scores by finding the pub you are drinking in at camra.org.uk/pubs.

What Do the Scores Mean?

• 0: No cask ale available – This can be because the pub never has it or it’s run out
• 1: Poor – Beer that is anything from barely drinkable to drinkable with considerable resentment
• 2: Average – Competently kept, drinkable pint but doesn’t inspire in anyway, not worth moving to another pub but you drink the beer without really noticing
• 3: Good – Good beer in good form. You may cancel plans to move to the next pub. You want to stay for another pint and may seek out the beer again
• 4: Very Good – Good Excellent beer in excellent condition
• 5: Perfect – Probably the best you are ever likely to find. A seasoned drinker will award this score very rarely

13 January saw us at the Beer House S6 in Hillsborough to present their pub of the month award and enjoyed a few pints from an excellent beer selection along with complimentary sandwiches and nibbles!

Photographed is Sheffield & District CAMRA chairman Paul Manning presenting the certificate to manager Casie along with co-owners Chris Sinclair and John Harrison.

Chris and John, who between them are also involved with the original Beer House at Hunters Bar, Dronfield Arms in Dronfield and Joiners Arms in Bakewell, reiterated their belief that pubs are more than just a business selling drinks – they are important social hubs for the communities they serve and at their venues they try to reflect that and appreciate our support!

Read more about the pub and its award here.

All CAMRA Sheffield & District members are invited to pick their favourites for our annual awards.

To cast your votes, select pubs (and optionally, a club) you’ve visited in the last three months and in which you do not have a vested interest. Voting closes 19 January 2026.

To simplify things, we have combined our three annual award voting forms into one.

Pub of the Year

Select and rank pubs from shortlist below, compiled from venues that have won Pub of the Month or been included in the Good Beer Guide over the past year.

Winners will be announced after each area winner has been visited and assessed against CAMRA’s strict judging criteria, leading to the selection of the overall branch Pub of the Year.

Cider Pub of the Year and Club of the Year

This year, instead of compiling shortlists for these awards, we’ve opened voting up to any pub serving real cider and club serving real ale in the branch area. The qualifying venues with the most member votes will be named the winners.

CAMRA has revealed the 16 regional and national winners in its Pub of the Year 2025 competition.

The shortlisted pubs have beaten thousands of entries to be crowned the best in their region or nation and will now battle it out for the chance to be named CAMRA’s overall Pub of the Year. The final four pubs in the running for the overall title will be announced in October with the winner revealed in January 2026.

With the Bank Holiday weekend approaching, CAMRA is encouraging people to get out and enjoy their local or seek out all of these great pubs for a quality pint in great surroundings.

Judges are looking for great atmosphere, décor, welcome, service, inclusivity, overall impression and, most importantly, quality cask beer, real cider and perry.

The 16 pubs have been recognised as the best of the best in the UK and their shortlisting for the competition is testament to their quality and commitment to their communities.

This year’s contest comes as many pubs across the UK face their toughest year yet. They face high costs, high costs, heavy tax burdens and crippling business rates. Pubs need sector specific support, including the reform of the business rates system, an extension of the draught beer and cider duty and a reduction in Employer National Insurance to help with staffing costs.

Andrea Briers, CAMRA’s Pub of the Year Co-ordinator said:

“It is a real pleasure to announce this year’s top 16 pubs, each of which has demonstrated exceptional quality, warmth and dedication to their communities. These pubs are shining examples of what makes the Great British pub so special, from perfectly kept pints to a genuine welcome for all.

“Achieving this in the face of rising costs and other pressures is no small feat, and we want to see these pubs, and thousands of others like them, continue to thrive. That’s why we’re calling on the Chancellor to give pubs a fair deal in the Autumn Budget, so they can keep serving their communities for many years to come.”

The top 16 pubs are:

• East Anglia – Blackfriars Tavern, Great Yarmouth
• East Central – Orange Tree, Baldock
• East Midlands – Burnt Pig, Ilkeston
• Greater London – Hope, Carshalton
• Merseyside and Cheshire – Cricketers, St Helens
• North East – Station House, Durham
• North West – Cumberland Inn, Alston
• Northern Ireland – Dog and Duck Inn, Lisbellaw
• Scotland – Volunteer Arms (Staggs), Musselburgh
• South Central – Bell Inn, Aldworth
• South East – Royston, Broadstairs
• South West – Hole in the Wall, Bodmin
• Wales – Rhos yr Hafod Inn, Llanon
• West Central – Pelican Inn, Gloucester
• West Midlands – Tamworth Tap, Tamworth
• Yorkshire – Beer Engine, Skipton

A handful of the Sheffield & District branch committee went along to the Old Hall Hotel in Hope on the evening of Tuesday 29 July to present their District Pub of the Year award, which was followed by their regular quiz and buffet.

Photographed is our Beer Matters magazine editor Andy Cullen presenting Rick Ellison of Atlantik Inns, who run the Old Hall as well as a number of other Peak District pubs.

The Old Hall Hotel features a real ale bar, restaurant, tea room and Bed & Breakfast accommodation. The bar is also known for its extensive whisky collection as well as their regular bank holiday beer & cider festivals.

The pub is a 10 minute walk from Hope railway station or buses 173 and 272 pass the front door and it is set among some beautiful Peak District scenery!

The team at the Harlequin led by co-owner Chris Bamford are photographed receiving our August Pub of the Month award from Sheffield & District CAMRA chairman Paul Manning.

The pub was also still celebrating a year under its current management and was also marking the impending departure of Ethan, who has been a key member of the team there since it reopened, presenting him with his leaving present!

in his speech, Chris also paid tribute to the late, great Wendy Woodhouse who had originally bought the pub and turned it from the Manchester Hotel into the Harlequin.

As of 1 August, when the Harlequin celebrated their first birthday, the bar had so far featured 269 different cask ales, 165 different keg beers and 66 different ciders. They serve food and have also hosted a number of events including a whisky tasting, sake tasting, tap takeovers, taco night and also host a weekly quiz night.

An enjoyable evening was spent at the Harlequin on the presentation night (and birthday party and Ethans leaving do!) with some great drinks and a buffet, thanks to the team for the hospitality.

If you fancy a visit the pub is walkable from Sheffield City Centre or Kelham Island; alternatively buses 7, 8, 75 and 75a pass the front door.