Pub with a passion for good food and real ale lands title

Since Vito and Abbie Logozzi bought it two years ago, the Goodmanham Arms, in Goodmanham, has built up a following for its beers from Yorkshire breweries and special dishes, including gipsy hotpot and meat roasted on a spit over an open fire.

Vito, originally from Stigliano, Lucania, in Italy, is a chef by trade and has worked in pubs in the UK for 28 years, while Abbie, originally from Market Weighton, has recently taken a brewing course and will soon begin brewing at the pub using malt from the East Riding and borehole water from a local farm.

Vito said the secret of their success was the beer, the character of the pub and its location, and the friendly staff, adding: “It’s a proper village pub.

“We don’t close during the day, we open from 11am to whatever and we have seven cask ales and rotate two guest beers and we do beer and harvest festivals.”

The Hope and Anchor in Blacktoft was runner-up in the competition, run by the Hull and East Yorkshire branch of Camra.

The pub is owned and run by Eddie and Liz Payne, who have had the pub since 1999.

Acting branch chairman Angela Cawte, said: “It is very reassuring to see that our branch is served by pubs whose licensees put so much effort into dedicating themselves to providing the real ale drinker with a superb quality beer in excellent surroundings.”

The winning licensees will be presented framed certificates. The other nominees were the Blue Bell in Old Ellerby and the Beech Tree in Kirk Ella.