St Helens’ historic Turks Head, the Countryman’s Inn in Hunton, the Cockpit in Chislehurst and Staffordshire’s Tamworth Tap have been named regional winners and will now battle it out for the national crown.
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The Turks Head is a previous regional winner, while the Tamworth Tap, which was recently named Overall winner and Best Pub for Beer at the Great British Pub Awards (GBPA), is aiming to secure a record fourth National Pub of the Year title.
Final four
Some 16 regional winners were announced by the consumer organisation in August, with the overall Pub of the Year set to be revealed in January 2027.
CAMRA POTY coordinator Andrea Briers said: “I’m so proud of our final four pubs for 2026.
“Despite the well-documented challenges facing our pubs and brewers, these licensees have not just survived, but thrived.
Amazing places
“All four are amazing places that are definitely worth a visit, whether you want a top-quality pint, or just a brilliant community-orientated vibe.”
More details about each of the final four pubs:
Turks Head
A Tudor-style town centre pub dating back to the 1870s, the Turks Head was described as a “friendly and welcoming pub”.
It offers a rotating line-up of 14 handpulls, a selection of real ciders and contains a large whisky and gin bar.
An extensive variety of craft and continental beers can also be found in the upstairs Tower Lounge room, which hosts live music and events for local community groups.
Countryman’s Inn
The Countryman’s Inn is a community-owned free house serving Yorkshire beers, with at least one from Pennine Brewery.
Guests can enjoy a roaring stove in the winter, the great beer garden in the summer, bi-weekly coffee mornings and charity quizzes.
Tamworth Tap
The Tamworth Tap is a Tudor building and features a historic courtyard beer terrace offering views of the town’s Norman Castle.
Home to Tamworth Brewing Company, it features eight hand-pulls, with cask beer from near and far, alongside a wide range of ciders, gins, wines and bottled beers.
Cockpit
Opened in December 2020, the Cockpit is Chislehurst’s first micropub and offers a choice of cask beers from small breweries all over the country, served from a cold room behind the small bar.
The premises are shared with a florist but it’s still described as a spacious pub with plenty of seating inside, plus further high tables and bench seating by the small bar at the rear.
