I am delighted to announce the inaugural winners of the 2022 Daventry Pub of the Year Competition!
On Saturday, pubs from across the constituency gathered at Daventry Town FC to celebrate the results of my first-ever Pub of the Year Competition. With over 80 pubs across the constituency, I know just how difficult the past few years have been for pubs. Our locals are the life and soul of our communities, with many stepping up to play a key role in supporting vulnerable residents throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The competition ran throughout the summer across four main categories to recognise the many different types of pubs we have in Daventry. Over 1000 votes were cast and the results are in!
Daventry Town Pub of the Year: Middlemore Farm
Village Pub of the Year: The Countryman in Staverton
Dog-Friendly Pub of the Year:Knightley Arms in Yelvertoft
Beer Garden of the Year: The Wheelwright's Arms in Watford
I was particularly delighted to see that a couple of the winning pubs have recently been taken over by new managers or set up by the community. I'm so pleased to see their hard work rewarded and wish them the best of luck for the future!
The awards ceremony was also a good opportunity to chat to landlords regarding the impact of rising energy prices and their concerns about bills over the winter months. I look forward to looking through the full statement announced by Prime Minister Truss today and how this will support our locals with their bills through this difficult period.
Thank you again to all the pubs for their hard work in supporting our communities and for taking part in my first-ever Pub of the Year Competition. Thank you also to everyone for voting and sharing heart-warming stories of what their local pub means to them.
I look forward to visiting the winning pubs (especially now I've taken on a new role as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland) and I encourage all pubs to get in touch if there is anything I can do to help in the future.