Good Pub Guide 2018: the Kings Head Inn is pub of the year
The 16th century inn is run by licensees, and husband and wife team, Archie and Nicola Orr-Ewing, who also run the Swan Inn at nearby Swinbrook.
The top accolade was given to the pub, the guide said, for “its lively, friendly bar, excellent drinks selection, first-class food and lovely bedrooms.”
Archie Orr-Ewing told The Morning Advertiser that the win was “completely unexpected”.
“It was always the awards that I dreamt of getting. The industry has become so competitive now and there are a lot of good operators out of there, which has made it even more meaningful in a way,” he said.
He opened a letter from the Good Pub Guide and it said the pub had won the area dining pub of the year.
“I was pleased enough with that on it’s own,” he said.
“The next letter said we had won the national pub of the year. I was blown away.”
The couple have run the pub for 17 years and took on their second pub – the Swan Inn – 10 years ago.
He said he is unsure how the win will “pan out” but there has already been interest from the local press.
“It is a lovely pub and I am there practically every day of my life. I love the place. It is on a village green with a river running through it in a classic country pub location. When you walk in, the bar has just got so much 'oldy worldy' charm and character,” he said.
“My wife and I feel very privileged to be the guardians of this wonderful place.”
He said that hospitality is at the core of the offer.
“We have a really good team of people behind us who get the importance of customer service. We are serving good real ales that are well-looked-after and have a good, straight-forward food offer that is good value for money,” he said.
Editor of the guide Fiona Stapley said: “The pub itself is roses round the door but the people that run it have always been really hands-on. They really know their customers and know what their customers want. The food is amazing, the beer and wine is fantastic and it is a lovely place to stay.”
She also said that the readers of the guide write in and give feedback on pubs that they go to.
“It becomes obvious which are the pubs that everyone loves,” she said
“This year it was very obvious. The pub is so well-run and they are such lovely people. They don’t just care about their pub they really care about their customers. They are the things that shine out.”
The Good Pub Guide 2018 winners:
PUB OF THE YEAR
Kings Head Inn, Bledington, Oxfordshire
DINING PUB OF THE YEAR
Stagg Inn, Titbury, Kington, Herefordshire
NEW PUB OF THE YEAR
Ebrington Arms, Ebrington, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
OWN BREW PUB OF THE YEAR
Church Inn, Upper Mill, Oldham, Lancashire
BEER PUB OF THE YEAR
Fat Cat, Norwich, Norfolk
WHISKY PUB OF THE YEAR
Bon Accord, Glasgow
WINE PUB OF THE YEAR
Woods, Dulverton, Somerset
UNSPOILT PUB OF THE YEAR
Harrow Inn, Steep, Petersfield, Hampshire
TOWN PUB OF THE YEAR
Wykeham Arms, Winchester, Hampshire
COUNTRY PUB OF THE YEAR
Brace of Pheasants, Plush, Dorchester, Dorset
INN OF THE YEAR
Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland, Northumberland
VALUE PUB OF THE YEAR
Drake Manor Inn, Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton, Devon
LICENSEES OF THE YEAR
Rob & Liz Alcock of the Longs Arms, South Wraxall, Wiltshire
BREWERY OF THE YEAR
Purity Brewing Co, Great Alne, Alcester, Warwickshire
PUB GROUP OF THE YEAR
Individual Inns, Skipton, North Yorkshire
