Photo by Ralph Warrington
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has announced the four best pubs in the UK as part of its prestigious Pub of the Year 2024 competition.
The Black Horse in Preston has been named as one of the top four pubs in the UK by CAMRA and will now have the chance to compete to become the campaigning organisation’s Pub of the Year.
A visually stunning Victorian Grade II listed pub opposite the historic Preston open market, the Black Horse is a fantastic example of Victorian architecture, retaining original fittings from the era. Most noteworthy is the beautiful semi-circular ceramic bar, tiled walls and meticulous mosaic flooring throughout the pub. A seating area has been dubbed the ‘Hall of Mirrors’ due to the impressive use of original stained glass. The Black Horse is owned by Robinsons of Stockport with ten handpumps, serving their own beers plus up to seven changing guest beers from far and wide, plus a range of ciders.
Landlord Dan Taylor said: "The Black Horse is very honoured to have been included in the final four pubs in the Super Regional competition run by CAMRA. This really is the validation that the staff need to show them their hard work has really been worthwhile.”
Robinsons Brewery Marketing Director David Bremner said: “We’re all chuffed to bits. The pub was on its knees when Dan took over. We’ve worked with him and his team to turn the pub round. Running as a virtual free house is not in our business model but it works for this pub. Preston is a great city for real ale and we’re proud to be part of the community.”
Brought up in Stoke, landlord Dan Taylor spent many years running pubs in Bolton, as well as working at CAMRA's Bolton Beer Festival. He credits his excellent cellarmanship to good training by ‘Fletch’, longtime Bar Manager of the Volunteers Arms at CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival. Dan also encourages his staff to learn about what they are serving, which he says makes the job more enjoyable as well as providing useful skills for their careers.
Dan has been at the Black Horse for eight years and enjoys an excellent working relationship with Robinsons Brewery who own the pub. The landlord takes pride in the quality of the beer served to the customers at the Black Horse, and maintains that if he does not think the beer is ready and perfect, it doesn't go on.
CAMRA North West Regional Director Ralph Warrington said: “A huge congratulations to The Black Horse in Preston for getting into the final round of the Pub of the Year competition. Their place in the top four is a testament to Dan Taylor’s hard work and commitment to the community of regulars he welcomes to his pub. He should be incredibly proud of this achievement, and I hope that pubgoers from the North West and further beyond will flock to the Black Horse to find out what makes it so special.”
Notes to editors:
Full list of the super-regional winners:
Black Horse, Preston – North West
Three B’s, Bridlington – Yorkshire
Little Green Dragon, Winchmore Hill – Greater London
Bailey Head, Oswestry – West Midlands
For images of the finalists, contact press@camra.org.uk
The 17 national and regional finalists in the Pub of the Year competition can be found here.
All the pubs in the competition are selected by CAMRA volunteers and judged on their atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for money, customer mix and most importantly – quality of beer. The overall winner will be announced in January 2025.
The four finalists will be presented with their awards at local events over the coming weeks.
For more information and tickets for CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival, please visit: https://greatbritishbeerfestival.co.uk/
