Triples all round: We're Yorkshire's favourite pub

The Bull Inn at West Tanfield has been a runner up in the Welcome to Yorkshire contest two times, but this year the pub took the top title, awarded to them by Yorkshire cricket legend Geoff Boycott.

More than 18,000 people voted this and some 700 pubs were nominated in this year’s competition which has been running now for six years.

Gil Richardson, Owner of the Bull Inn said: “It’s not three times a bridesmaid and never a bride, we’ve actually become the bride!

“It’s such a wonderful accolade because there is such strong competition, there are so many good, professionally-run pubs and the fact that we’ve mustered together enough people to vote for us as number one it’s fantastic.”

Gil has been running the Bull Inn with her partner Phil Spellacy for the last four years, but said she owed their success to their punters and the pub’s location.

She said: “What is amazing about the Bull is it’s location it’s so beautiful, it’s right down near the river and has the 18th century bridge in the garden.

“Phil spent years in the garden making sure everything is right. I mean it’s not a perfect, it’s all a bit dishevelled but it’s homely somehow so I think that’s one of the main things.

“I don’t think I do anything special, what I love about the Bull is that it really is a traditional pub, with great folk that come in and they make the atmosphere.

“It’s nothing to do with bricks and mortar, I mean we do a mean steak pie but you know the main thing is the people.”

A total of 12 pubs across the region were shortlisted and the competition saw the Durham Ox at Crayke come second, and the Fairfax Arms in Gilling East land third.

Introducing the awards, Sir Gary Verity dubbed Yorkshire the beer county.

He said: “There’s so many great pubs that if nothing else it gives people an opportunity to say okay that’s the top 12, let’s go round and make sure we’ve tried them all.”