The Royal Oak in Hail Weston has been awarded the title of best venue in Cambridgeshire by Pub & Bar magazine as part of its national awards to find the best pub in the UK.

The National Pub & Bar Awards aims to showcase just how diverse and creative the hospitality industry really is, as well as how these inspirational operations have survived the pandemic.

Reuben Milne one of the village directors of The Royal Oak said: “Like every other pub in the country, we’ve had an incredibly tough 18 months but the team has kept going through everything and this award is testament to the hard work they’ve put in.”

The Hunts Post: Inside the Royal Oak pubInside the Royal Oak pub (Image: Reuben Milne)

“The pandemic has highlighted the importance of community and a village pub like ours is a crucial part of that; from volunteers delivering pub meals to the village during the lockdown to our manager bringing in his own television in from home so we had enough screens to allow everyone to safely watch England at the recent European Championships.”

Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar Magazine, which hosts the event said: "The National Pub & Bar Awards judges loved the community spirit that flows through The Royal Oak, from the 100+ volunteers that helped refurbish it, to the loyal patrons that continue to walk through the doors.”

“The food is carefully considered for a wide range of diners, which isn't always the case for venues in similar locations, plus The Royal Oak's lockdown take-away service was hugely commendable.

"There's a wonderful events programme, effective marketing and continuous investment in the property. A worthy winner for Cambridgeshire."

The Royal Oak in Hail Weston, which was selected on overall best practice across a number of operational categories, will be officially crowned at a red carpet celebration at 30 Euston Square on Monday, September 6.

At the grand final, 15 Regional winners will also be announced, as well as the esteemed accolade – the overall National Pub & Bar of the Year.