Cheers! Peterborough pub celebrates 20 years in the Good Beer Guide
Earning a place in the Good Beer Guide is a feat in itself – but Chris Parkes and the team at Peterborough’s Draper’s Arms have managed it an incredible 20 years in a row.
The remarkable achievement by pub boss Chris – who has been there all that time – and his team at the Wetherspoon establishment in the city centre’s Cowgate has now been celebrated by the local CAMRA branch.
A certificate to mark the two decades of consistency was [resented by Peterborough & District branch chairman Steve Bersey last week.
Steve said: “In the 50-year history of the Peterborough & District CAMRA branch, only three other pubs have ever reached this milestone. By securing 20 consecutive years of entries in the Good Beer Guide, Chris Parkes and the team at The Draper’s Arms have achieved something truly remarkable.
“Many Peterborough Telegraph readers will know The Draper’s as a cornerstone of our city – the essential starting point for meeting up before the football, or the setting-off point for countless days out and adventures (it is the closest pub to the railway station).
"But to maintain a place in the Guide for 20 consecutive years, without a single interruption, is a phenomenal feat of consistency. It requires a relentless, year-round commitment to quality in the cellar.
"Chris and his team have proven that you can be a busy, popular social hub, while still delivering the highest possible standards for real ale. They are a credit to our branch, and a true local institution.”
Not surprisingly it is an achievement Chris is rightly proud of and keen to share with his staff down the year.
"It isn’t bad for a two-year plan, “ says Chris who has been in charge since the pub opened in 2005. “That’s how long I thought I would be here for, two years, and look at me now.
"I am very proud of the achievement, being recognised in the Good Beer Guide for all these years as I have always had an interest in real ales, but it helps having a team who I know will look after things when I am off.
"We have a good rapport with customers and we get great feedback to keep us on top of things. We have a lot of regulars who clearly like what we do and word spreads, so new people are always coming in to see what we have on.”