Pub of the Year
2010 Contest
Five pubs were shortlisted for the 2010 contest. In alphabetical order, they were the Bird in Hand (Knowl Hill), the Eldon Arms (Reading), the Hobgoblin (Reading), the Nags Head (Reading) and Zero Degrees (Reading). This was a hard-fought contest with very tight voting, and the eventual result was the closest we've seen for many years.
In the event things were so close at the top that we decided the only fair decision was to have two joint winners, so congratulations to the Bird in Hand and the Nag's Head.
CAMRA rules say that only one pub can go through to the county stage of the competition, and the Bird in Hand goes through by dint of a marginally higher score. There it will face the winners from the other Berkshire CAMRA branches.
The other branches' winners are the Bell in Aldworth, the Jack O'Newbury in Binfield and the Carpenter's Arms in Windsor.
Future stages of CAMRA's Pub of the Year competition are Regional (Berks, Bucks, Oxon), Super-Regional (central southern counties) and National.
Previous Winners
The roll of honour of previous winners is as follows. There are a few gaps where our records are incomplete, so if you have any evidence that could help us fill the gaps (for instance a photo of a certificate on the wall of a pub), please get in touch.
2010:
Joint winners, Pub of the Year - Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill* and Nag's Head, Reading
* Goes through to county stage of competition.
2009:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Nag's Head, Reading
Runner-up, Pub of the Year - Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill
Winner, Club of the Year - Wargrave and District Snooker Club
2008:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill (pictured right)
Runner Up, Pub of the Year - Bell, Waltham St Lawrence
Winner, Club of the Year - Wargrave and District Snooker Club
2007:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill
Runner Up, Pub of the Year - Eldon Arms, Reading
Winner, Club of the Year - Wargrave and District Snooker Club
2006:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Magpie and Parrot, Shinfield
Runner Up, Pub of the Year - Retreat, Reading
2005:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Hop Leaf, Reading
Runner Up, Pub of the Year - Allied Arms, Reading
2004:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Retreat, Reading
Runner Up, Pub of the Year - Bell, Waltham St Lawrence
2003:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Bell, Waltham St Lawrence
Runner-up, Pub of the Year - Retreat, Reading
2002:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Retreat, Reading
Winner, Town Pub of the Year - Hop Leaf, Reading
Winner, Rural Pub of the Year - Magpie and Parrot, Shinfield
2001:
Information not available.
2000:
Joint Winners, Pub of the Year - Hobgoblin, Reading and Retreat, Reading
1999:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Hop Leaf, Reading
1998:
Information not available.
1997:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Horse and Jockey, Reading
Runner-up, Pub of the Year - Retreat, Reading
1996:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Horse and Jockey, Reading
1995:
Information not available.
1994:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Old Manor, Bracknell
Following branch boundary changes this pub is now part of Berkshire South East branch
1993:
Winner, Pub of the Year - Stag and Hounds, Binfield
Following branch boundary changes this pub is now part of Berkshire South East branch
Winner, Town Pub of the Year - Wallingford Arms, Reading
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