Beer and cider lovers raise a glass at Booze on the Ouse

The Huntingdonshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) announced its annual award winners at a ceremony held in St Ives on Thursday.

The awards were decided by votes from CAMRA members and winners were crowned at the opening day of the Booze on the Ouse festival, which ran from Thursday to Saturday.

The most improved rural pub was the Mermaid, in Ellington, with the Nelson’s Head, in St Ives, voted the most improved urban pub.

The mild and dark ales pub of the year went to the Falcon, in Huntingdon, while the Nelsons Head walked away with the coveted local pub of the year prize.

The event was capped with a special lifetime achievement award for Jim and Bernie Taylor, landlords of the King of the Belgians pub, in Hartford.

CAMRA spokesman, Paul Moorhouse said: “CAMRA gives these annual awards to draw attention to pubs and clubs that operate in ways that CAMRA would wish to encourage - such as providing well-presented ranges of real ales of varied styles, premises with atmosphere and style, good service and welcome, a good community focus and good value.”

More than 70 real ales were available over the course of the Booze on the Ouse event, including a number of winners and runners-up from CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain Awards held at London Olympia, in August.

There was a wide choice of locally brewed real ales and draught milds, bitters, golden ales, stouts, porters, wheat beers and speciality beers.

Real draught ciders and perries on offer included Cromwell Cider, from Hemingford Grey, CAMRA’s current national Cider of the Year.