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CAMRA Heritage Pub Revival Award 2026
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Oxfordshire, NORTH STAR, Steventon. Kerry Tyrrell, licensee of the North Star, Steventon in Oxfordshire, has been given the top prize. Judges were hugely impressed with Kerry’s efforts and pride in the pub, which has been owned by her family for generations, describing the reopened pub as having ‘a new lease of life’. The pub was recently closed for nine months to undergo extensive works to fix damp and preserve the Grade II listed building, all carried out by local craftsman Michael Toplis. The results speak for themselves, with a refreshed building which retains its outstanding heritage value, a new programme of events and a ‘buzzing’ atmosphere.|
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West Midlands, BEACON HOTEL, Sedgley. Sarah Hughes brewery has been honoured as runner up for their work at the Beacon Hotel, Sedgley, their pub and brewery tap in the West Midlands. Judges praised the high quality of work to convert a sitting room into an additional customer area and the sensitive replacement of the old conservatory. The changes provide improved additional space and seating for this bustling community local.
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Three Star Heritage Pubs
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Northumberland, STAR INN, Netherton. Dave Gamston reports: Since the last update in the April bulletin, our campaigning efforts have been stepped up, alongside CAMRA’s Tyneside & Northumberland branch, to help find a future for this threatened national treasure. Recognising that its owner’s efforts to market the Star had not been reaching much beyond the local area (where the unlikelihood of finding a suitable buyer from such a limited pool might result in the feared planning change-of-use approval) Pub Heritage Group has grasped an important nettle by issuing a national trade press release of its own. This does the job of proclaiming the Star’s availability - as a national asset, to a national business audience. It emphasises the potential of the pub's spacious premises for diversification as well as the advantages to be gained from being a part of Northumberland’s booming visitor economy and its heritage tourism. For link to the Release itself, See: 
Greater Manchester, ROYAL OAK HOTEL, Oldham. The grade II listed Royal Oak Hotel closed suddenly in late 2023 after being sold by Inglenook Inns. And, with no indication of the new owner’s intentions, an ACV was registered by a local community group. (see February 2024 Bulletin). After three years with no further news, it has now been put on the market with an asking price of £450,000. The owners have undertaken a basic refurbishment to the upper floors but we understand the historic pub features, including the splendid semi-circular servery, remain intact. Even so, the fact that these are so downplayed and not illustrated in the sale details - See: 
Cheshire, WHITE LION, Barthomley. We last reported on the White Lion, which has now been closed for three years, in the March Bulletin when the owners, the trustees of Lord O’Neill’s estate, committed to undertaking restoration work with the intention of reopening it. However, we now hear that East Cheshire Council has been given notice by the owners that they are intending to sell. The pub was registered as an Asset of Community Value in 2023 meaning that the council must now decide if the six-month moratorium is enacted to give a community group the opportunity to purchase the pub. The White Lion dates back to 1614 and is grade II* listed, but requires significant conservation work and has been added to Historic England’s At Risk Register. So, it will be a big undertaking for any new owner. Thanks to Ian Bray of South Cheshire CAMRA for the update.
West Midlands, OLD SWAN, Netherton. Jamie Hooper reports, following a recent visit, that the famous brew pub, one of only four such establishments still serving their own beer when CAMRA first formed in 1971, did not appear to be thriving - confirming our last report from August 2025, when long serving landlord Tim Newey was preparing to retire. The lease is now being formally advertised by Star Pubs & Bars with a £375,000 refurbishment planned. See:
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Two Star Heritage Pubs
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Merseyside, ROSCOE HEAD, Liverpool. The award winning and highly regarded Roscoe Head, which is one of only five pubs to feature in every edition of the Good Beer Guide, is up for sale. Licensee Carol Ross has decided to retire, having been there for 28 years. Her family have run the pub for 45 years with Carol finally buying the freehold from pubco New River Retail in 2020, following a protracted battle over the tied lease. The pub is on the market through Licensed Trade Associates with an asking price of £885,000. Details of the sale can be found here: 
East Sussex, HAVELOCK, Hastings. The Havelock is included on the inventory for its wonderful tiling, probably the most spectacular pictorial tiling in England, which dates from a refit of the pub in 1890, featuring historic scenes including the Battle of Hastings. The pub is owned by Stonegate and the freehold is now on the market with an asking price of £450,000. See: 
Greater Manchester, MORT ARMS, Tyldesley. The Mort Arms, a corner pub owned by Joseph Holt’s Brewery, which is included on the inventory for the surviving inter-war refit by the brewery, has reopened following a major refurbishment. The pub has been smartened up in a traditional style including new flooring and the addition of new panelling. There appear to have been some changes to the layout and fixtures that will need further assessment. Thanks to Steve Howarth of Leigh, Atherton & Tyldesley CAMRA for this news.
Greater London South West, PARK TAVERN, Wandsworth. Star Pubs and Bars seemingly heavy-handed dealings with the licensee of the Park Tavern have resulted in a campaign to ‘Save the Park Tavern’ supported by local councillors and the local MP Fleur Anderson, who has reported Star to the Pub Codes Adjudicator. Star had given notice to licensee Amir Matinahmadi’s company, after he had spent £150,000 on refurbishing the pub. For a detailed account of the situation – See:
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One Star Heritage Pubs |
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Greater London North West, MASONS ARMS, Kensal Green. In the May Bulletin we covered the planning application to demolish the unlisted Masons Arms and redevelop it as a six-storey residential block with a modern bar at ground level. A listing application had been made at the time by North London CAMRA to seek protection for the Victorian pub whose notable surviving features include the original bar counter and back-fitting. Sadly, the listing application has now been refused which is highly disappointing news, particularly for the campaigners who are fighting the demolition plans (which have yet to be decided by Brent Council.) Thanks to Jane Jephcote for this update.
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Norfolk, LORD NELSON, Burnham Thorpe. The Lord Nelson, located in the village where Admiral Nelson was born and reputedly frequented by the great man, has closed after brewers Woodforde relinquished the lease stating that they are now focusing on the brewery business rather than running pubs. Owners, the Holkham Estate, who purchased the pub from Greene King in 2019 and reopened it in 2021 after a major remodelling, are now looking for new tenants. Despite the refurbishment, the main bar, called the Nelson Bar, still retains much of its age-old atmosphere. Thanks to Tim Havill for this news.
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Greater London North West, MAGDALA, Hampstead. Thankfully, the retrospective planning application to convert the first-floor function room to residential (see April bulletin) has been rejected by Camden Council, who are now preparing to take enforcement action against owner Ori Kalif (who had also achieved national notoriety as the owner of the Carlton Tavern, Maida Vale when it was demolished illegally in 2015 ). The unlawful conversion of the function room resulted in strong opposition from the local community, who have registered the pub as an Asset of Community Value. See:
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Isle of Man, ALBERT HOTEL, Douglas. Viv Cooper reports that The Douglas Hotel, a Victorian two-room pub, which was refitted in the 1960’s in a basic style typical of the period with painted ply panelling throughout, is up for sale with price on application. For sale details, see:
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Derbyshire, HARE & HOUNDS, Barlow. The Hare & Hounds, a multi-room pub which was modified and refitted in the 1950s, had been closed since 2020, so its re-opening in August sounded like good news. However, a major refurbishment has taken place that has removed all the historic features and consequently, it has been removed from the inventory. Thanks to Andrew Cullen for this update.
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