Batemans pub The Dog and Bone, located on John Street in Lincoln, has been awarded Lincolnshire Pub of the Year for 2014 by the Campaign for Real Ale.
This award was presented to landlords Chris and Sarah Sorrell at a special presentation held in the Dog and Bone’s beautiful pub garden, and was attended by representatives from Batemans and CAMRA, as well as a selection of the pub’s regulars.
To determine the winner of the award, judges from CAMRA visited the shortlisted pubs from each of the CAMRA branches in the county and assessed the quality of the beer, the atmosphere, service, community focus and value for money. The judges’ comments on the Dog and Bone were: “An exceptional back-street pub. The proprietors’ initiatives for a calendar of events is very forward thinking. A hidden gem.”
Chris and Sarah have made several changes since taking over the pub in February 2013. The most successful of these was to convert an outside storage shed into a cosy drinking area, known as The Kennel, which can be used for private functions or by community groups. Activities based at the pub include a walking group, jam sessions, art exhibitions and cook-offs, as well as a recently started craft and chat group.
The Dog and Bone now goes forward to the East Midlands round of the competition, where it will be up against the best pubs from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Lincoln CAMRA secretary, Steve Renshaw, said, “I recently described the Dog and Bone as Lincoln’s best kept secret but, with these awards, landlords Chris and Sarah Sorrell are now getting the recognition they deserve.”
Stuart Bateman, Managing Director of Batemans Brewery, added: “We’d like to congratulate Chris and Sarah for their achievement. They’ve really worked hard to ensure The Dog and Bone is a welcoming pub with a comprehensive offering including food, drink and a selection of activities. This award is very well deserved and we wish them the very best of luck for the next round – we’re sure they’ll come out on top!”
Sarah commented: “We’re thrilled to have received this award – it’s such an amazing feeling to be the best pub in Lincolnshire! We love running The Dog and Bone and have built a great relationship with our customers thanks to the events we organise. We’re now looking forward to the next round of the competition – we’ve got everything crossed!”
For more information about Batemans pubs, please visit http://www.bateman.co.uk/ or call 01754 880317
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Notes to Editors
About Batemans
Batemans is a family brewer based in Lincolnshire, England. It has brewed beer from its Brewery in Wainfleet since 1874, and has nearly 70 pubs in its estate, predominately based in Lincolnshire, Derbyshire Dales and Norfolk. Batemans brews five permanent cask beers, as well as a range of seasonal and speciality beers. It offers a wide selection of bottled beers, which are available to buy online and in supermarkets across the UK.
For all Batemans press enquiries please contact:
Sarah Featley, elliotts
T: 01296 714745 e: sarah@elliottsagency.com