Burton based pub company, Punch Taverns, is celebrating a record number of pubs featuring in The UK’s best selling beer and pub guide – the Good Beer Guide 2014.
The Good Beer Guide was launched on 13th September and features the best 4,500 real ale pubs from across the UK, with details of food, opening hours, beer gardens, accommodation, transport links, disabled access and family facilities.
The guide, which is researched by CAMRA’s 143,000 members, features 243 Punch pubs from across the UK, with 180 pubs making it into the guide for the second year or more.
Punch Buying Club Director Andy Slee said he was delighted that so many Punch pubs had made it into the guide and were serving great beer in their community.
“It’s fantastic to see more and more Punch pubs featuring in the guide, especially as the pub numbers in our estate are decreasing,” he said.
“We share a common purpose with CAMRA as we are all committed to great cask ale being served in community pubs. Almost 150,000 pints of ale go through these Good Beer Guide pubs per week, averaging over 650 pints per week.
“We have worked very hard with our licensees to promote a wide range of high quality cask ales throughout the estate and this has been reflected in the great numbers in the Good Beer Guide.
“Over 50 per cent of the pubs included are registered to our Finest Cask scheme, which offers a massive range of beers on a regular rotation, including CAMRA’s award-winning ales.
“Membership of our SIBA direct delivery scheme has continued to increase as well as training on beer quality through our territory dispense managers, and more pubs than ever are taking advantage of the Punch funded Cask Marque accreditation, with over 1,100 pubs accredited.
“All of this is delivering real results for our pubs and their customers and I am delighted at the result.”
All of the pubs listed in the Guide will receive a point of sale kit to promote their appearance in the guide and celebrate with customers.
One of the Punch Pubs listed in the guide is the Green Man, in Willington near Derby, which has just undergone a significant investment.
Licensees Angela Wardle and Liam Parsons said being featured in the Good Beer Guide was a real business driver for the pub.
“We are passionate about real ale with six cask ales, three of which we change weekly which really attracts a range of customers who like to try new ales,” said Angela.
“Since taking on the pub 16 weeks ago we have grown our reputation for offering a good selection of real ale at the highest quality. My son Peter looks after the cellar and is a perfectionist when ensuring the beer we serve is of the highest quality.
“We make sure the whole team are trained on delivering excellent customer service and serving the perfect pint. We are also looking to join the Punch Finest Cask scheme and register with SIBA so we can continue to offer a wide range.
“It’s wonderful to have that quality acknowledged by being featured in the Good Beer Guide, particularly as the pubs are selected by CAMRA members.”