The Bailey Head, Oswestry, taken by Graham Mitchell
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has announced The Bailey Head, Oswestry as the winner of its Pub of the Year competition
The Bailey Head in Oswestry, Shropshire has been named the Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA) overall Pub of the Year for the first time. The pub is a rags-to-riches success story after the owners turned what was once a closed local into a haven for the local community.
The Bailey Head had been failing under the ownership of a major pub company and was listed by CAMRA as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) to protect it from redevelopment. Nine years ago, it was bought by Duncan Borrowman and Grace Goodlad who poured their knowledge and passion into transforming the pub.
Their dedication means that the Bailey Head has won a staggering roster of awards from CAMRA, the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), The Shropshire GOAT and TripAdvisor.
Community and inclusion are at the heart of the pub, and it acts as a hub for locals to come together for good causes through events like their charity pub quizzes and live music.
Landlord Duncan Borrowman said: “We have always had a policy of Everyone Welcome, any person should feel happy and comfortable coming in by themselves and enjoying a drink, either on their own or chatting to other customers. We thrive on being the heart of the community and a place where people gather to celebrate or commiserate.
“While all of the focus tends to be on us as a couple, this win was also down to our incredible team of welcoming and knowledgeable staff, and to our wonderful regulars who have become very much a community in their own right.”
Aside from providing a welcoming atmosphere, the Bailey Head also boasts an impressive array of cask beer and cider.
Landlady Grace Goodlad said: “We are thrilled, we hope we can live up to the award. In our wildest dreams we never thought we would win CAMRA Pub of the Year. From small beginnings nine years ago, we have taken everything one step at a time, through COVID, slowly improving to the point where we now have twelve handpulls serving six cask beers and six ciders and perries, plus sixteen other draught lines.
“When we bought the pub nine years ago it was failing and had been listed as an Asset of Community Value by the local CAMRA branch. That listing made it possible for us to save it from potentially becoming housing and turning it into the pub it is today.”
Shrewsbury and West Shropshire CAMRA Chairman David Ricketts said: “The story of the Bailey Head from humble beginnings proves that any pub can become the best in the UK with some hard graft. Huge congratulations to Duncan and Grace and their hardworking team at the pub. We are so proud that our local branch plays host to them, and I hope this win can bring plenty of new visitors to their doorstep.”
CAMRA Awards Director Laura Emson said: “There could not be a more deserving winner for the Pub of the Year than the Bailey Head. In a time when running a pub is a significant challenge, the commitment and enthusiasm Duncan and Grace show should be highly commended and seen as an example. January can be an especially tough time for our locals, so please get out and visit them and provide the support that is so desperately needed for pubs across the UK.”
Ends
Notes to editors
Images of the Bailey Head, CAMRA spokespeople and final four Pub of the Year finalists can be found here.
The presentation of the Pub of the Year Award will take place at the Bailey Head on Friday 17th January at 1.30pm. Please let us know if you would like to attend by contacting press@camra.org.uk
The other Pub of the Year 2024 finalists are:
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.
Run by a husband-and-wife team who are passionate about beer and cider, the popular micropub is described as "Bridlington's Real Ale Destination", showcasing four cask beers with a focus on stocking local Yorkshire-based beers.
Little Green Dragon, Winchmore Hill
A former shop unit, Enfield’s first micropub opened in 2017. Focussing on the quality and diversity of cask beer, the Little Green Dragon has an everchanging selection of four cask beers sourced from local microbreweries and other independent brewers from further afield, plus real cider, perry and four keg beers.
More information on CAMRA’s Pub of the Year competition 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.
