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All hail to the ale as pub sails off with top award
A POPULAR pub is riding the crest of a wave after picking up a prestigious national award for the quality of its ales.
A POPULAR pub is riding the crest of a wave after picking up a prestigious national award for the quality of its ales.The Boat Inn, in Ramsey Road, Whittlesey, has claimed the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Cambridgeshire Pub of the Year award for 2009.
The historic pub, which has been run by Maria and Phil Quinn for the last 15 years, adds this award to its CAMRA Hostelry Outside Peterborough award won last year.
The Boat Inn is one of the oldest pubs in the county, with records dating to before 1839. It is also believed that part of the building is listed in the Domesday Book.
And Mr Quinn said he had drawn on the history of the pub to help win the competition.
He said: “We pull all of our ales directly from the barrel, using gravity, rather than through pumps. This is the best way, and all the regulars prefer it.
“We also have some great products, including from Wisbech brewery Elgoods and Sons, which is obviously the key to a great pub.
“We were very surprised to win the award, but we are delighted. It will take pride of place behind the bar.”
Pulling the perfect pint has also meant that the inn has managed to avoid being hit by the recession.
Dozens of pubs across the country are being forced to close every week faced by tough competition from low-cost booze in supermarkets, the impact of the smoking ban and the squeeze on spending.
But Mrs Quinn said: “To be honest, we have not had any problems with the recession. We have a very loyal crowd of regulars, which have obviously helped us in these difficult economic times.
“I am sure we will see a few more strangers now we have won the award.”
The pub will now compete against five other pubs, from Norfolk, Essex, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Suffolk, for the East Anglian Pub of the Year award.
Mr Quinn said: “We are not looking at the East Anglian award at the moment. We are looking at having a knees-up to celebrate our success next month, when, hopefully, the weather will be a bit nicer.”
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