Pub of the year accolade as bar isrecognised for its cider and perry

IT IS almost hidden below ground on a city centre street, but drinkers could soon be beating a path to Hull’s Hop and Vine bar after it won a national award for the quality of its booze.

The pub, along with the Prince of Wales in Foxfield, Cumbria, has been voted joint winner of the cider and perry pub of the year competition by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

They saw off 120 other nominations from hostelries across the land, a record number of entries.

Competition organiser Sarah Newson said: “We judge the nominated pubs in a similar way to CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year competition, but with an emphasis on the promotion of real cider and perry and having enthusiastic staff who know what’s real and what’s not.

“We had some very good entries this year but it was impossible to separate the two winners. The Prince of Wales and the Hop and Vine are doing a fantastic job raising the profile of real cider and perry and offering consumers a fine choice at the bar.”

In the last year the Hop and Vine has served 63 different ciders and perries.

Licensee Stewart Campbell said: “We were delighted to hear that we are joint winners of CAMRA’s National Cider Pub of the Year. Our successful business plan is simple – real cider, real perry, real ale and real food.”