A south Cheshire village inn has claimed the crown of the ‘North West’s Pub of the Year’.
The top accolade for the Swan at Marbury cum Quoisley, near Nantwich, comes from the prestigious National Pub & Bar of the Year Awards – just five years since it was reborn by Pubs Ltd as the first in a now four strong group.
Commenting on the award, Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine said: “The Swan is a stunning country pub presented immaculately inside and out. Overseen by passionate operators, the food is homemade, thought through and executed perfectly, no matter which dish is chosen. The team are friendly and, importantly, very knowledgeable about the food and drink on offer. It is an excellent operation and has done the North West proud by winning a regional National Pub & Bar Award.”
Welcoming the news, newly appointed general manager Charlie Holden said: “I am over the moon for the pub to have won this award! The team work so hard to make sure customers have the best experience at the Swan. To receive this award must show we are doing something right. We aim to provide the best food and drink to customers, from our pies to our rums – as long as the customer is happy that’s the main thing.
“Being made general manager is a dream come true. Starting at the Black Bear I fell in love with pubs and how they can be a central hub for a community and I am a big believer that they are a meeting point for those that love what we do.”
Pubs Ltd, headed by hospitality entrepreneur Jerry Brunning – the founder of the Chester based Brunning & Price pub chain – made a major investment in the Swan with a sympathetic restoration, bringing it back to life at the heart of picturesque Marbury as both a village local and destination pub for south Cheshire and north Shropshire.
This latest award adds to a string of accolades since 2018; Cheshire Pub of the Year at the Taste Cheshire Awards 2022; one of the top 40 Sunday lunch venues in the UK by Sawdays Guide in 2021; Best New Pub in the UK by the Camra Good Beer Guide 2020; South Cheshire Camra Summer Pub of the Year in 2019.
2/
Jerry Brunning said: “The Swan was the first venture for Pubs Ltd and we faced a major challenge to give this wonderfully historic venue a new lease of life and build business. This well-earned award is a marvellous tribute to the team. Charlie has been a valued member of the team and, as the new general manager, I know he is looking forward to the challenge of building on this top award.”
A cask and craft ale venue, The Swan boasts five hand pulls with ales from local brewers in Cheshire, North Wales and Shropshire alongside exclusive house pale ale JPA and a range of ciders from independent producers. It also offers its own highly popular tap dispensed house wines, blended exclusively and imported from Bordeaux. A modern menu mixes traditional classics with contemporary dishes. With an attractive patio garden for al fresco dining, inside there are wood burning stoves and book lined rooms offering a relaxing and cosy experience.
The growing Pubs Ltd group now includes the Black Bear in Whitchurch, the Hare at Farndon and Chester’s Henry Potts in Watergate Street, opened just one year ago in the heart of the city.
Ends/ref: Swan crowned best pub
Notes to editors:
Photograph behind the bar: L to R: general manager Charlie Holden, owner Jerry Brunning and group head chef Matt Marren.
The Awards: Organised in conjunction with Pub & Bar magazine and now in its sixth year, the National Pub & Bar Awards invites 94 of the best pubs from each county across the UK to an iconic cinematic-style awards ceremony. There, 15 regional winners and one overall National Pub & Bar of the Year are revealed. From perfect service to product range, aesthetic design or entertainment schedules, the 94 County Winners are selected by Pub & Bar magazine’s internal judging panel on all of the aspects required to provide ultimate hospitality within the on-trade.
FOR FURTHER MEDIA INFORMATION OR IMAGES PLEASE CONTACT: Steve Hobman at Rhino Public Relations: 07751 578605/01829 250502 email: stevehobman@rhinopr.co.uk
Third-party news items that are posted on the Guild website’s news section come from press releases received by the Guild. These press releases are posted as they have been received and their publication on the Guild website is intended as an informational service provided to our members and website visitors. As such, the publication of a story from a third-party source is neither an endorsement of the content, nor its sender, by the Guild. For enquiries on any news item, please use the contact details that can be found at the bottom of each post.