The Swan flies high to land top Camra award
by MA Reporter The Swan, in Little Totham, Essex, has been named Camra's National Pub of the Year. The prestigious award coincides with the group's first ever National Pubs Week. This new campaign's slogan is "There's a pub for everyone", and aims to encourage more people to visit pubs more regularly after new research showed that 20 pubs close every month and 27% of the UK's adults never visit pubs. Licensee John Pascoe said: "To be awarded the highest accolade by Camra has been my aim since buying the pub in 1996. My thanks to all the villagers in Little Totham for supporting the Swan and making sure of its future." Camra press manager Tony Jerome said: "This award not only considers beer quality but also atmosphere, campaigning, service and welcome, community focus, style/décor and value for money. The key to their success is that they excel in all of these areas." Jerome added: "The Swan is an ideal example of a pub that markets itself to its local area, offering its local community a pub that suits their needs. National Pubs Week has been designed to encourage more pubs across Britain to follow suit. "If we are to reduce pub closures then pubs have got to learn to be more proactive and find out what their locals want from a pub." Fifteen thousand pubs have come on board with National Pubs Week and Camra hopes that all of the British pub industry will benefit from this new campaign. The Good Beer Guide 2003 describes the Swan as a "delightful Grade II-listed cottage pub set behind a pleasant garden. "A good selection of beers includes a house ale from Mighty Oak. Essex Camra Pub of the Year 2000 and 2001, the cosy saloon, with its low ceiling and beams, is complemented by a traditional public bar with a 1950s bar billiards table. The new dining room offers good value meals. The hub of the village, it supports many local activities." The runners-up in the competition were: the Albert, Freuchie, Fife, Scotland; the Plough & Harrow, Monknash, Gwent, Wales; and the Railway, Stockport, Cheshire.
