CAMRA HALIFAX & CALDERDALE AWARD WINNERS OVER RECENT YEARS
Pub of the Year
| Year | Winner | Further Information |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Winner | The Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax | |
| 2023 Winner | The Cross Keys, Siddal | |
| 2022 Winner | The Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub, Hebden Bridge | Highly Commended The Cross Keys, Siddal København, Halifax The Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax The Grayston Unity, Halifax The Wainhouse Tavern, King Cross, Pye Nest |
| 2021 Winner | Not Awarded – COVID | |
| 2020 Winner | The Market Tavern, Brighouse | Highly Commended The Cross Keys, Siddal The Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub, Hebden Bridge The Grayston Unity, Halifax The Pub, Todmorden The Three Pigeons, Halifax The Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax |
| 2019 Winner | The Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub, Hebden Bridge | Highly Commended The Cross Keys, Siddal The Grayston Unity, Halifax The Market Tavern, Brighouse The Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax |
| 2018 Winner | The Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax | Highly Commended Calan’s Micropub, Hebden Bridge The Cross Keys, Siddal The Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub, Hebden Bridge The Market Tavern, Brighouse |
| 2017 Winner | The Cross Keys, Siddal | Highly Commended The Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub, Hebden Bridge The Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax |
| 2016 Winner | The Firehouse, Sowerby Bridge | |
| 2015 Winner | The Three Pigeons, Halifax | |
| 2014 Winner | The Cross Keys, Siddal |
Cider Pub of the Year
| Year | Winner | Further Information |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Winner | Nan Moor’s, Todmorden | Yorkshire Cider Pub of the Year Nan Moor’s, Todmorden |
| 2023 Winner | Fox and Goose, Hebden Bridge | |
| 2021 Winner | Not Awarded – COVID | |
| 2020 Winner | Not Awarded | |
| 2019 Winner | Calan’s Micropub, Hebden Bridge | Highly Commended The Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub, Hebden Bridge The Market Tavern, Brighouse |
2024 Pub of the Year
The Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax –Halifax & Calderdale CAMRA’s Pub of the Year 2024
On Wednesday 24th April, Tom Hughes and the staff members of the Victorian Craft Beer Café were presented with Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Pub of Year award for 2024. This is the second occasion that the pub has received the award, having previously been branch Pub of the Year in 2018. In addition VCBC has been Highly Commended in the Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA Pub of the Year competition on three occasions in 2019, 2022 and 2023, was runner up in the Yorkshire CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2018 and has received a number of awards from the West Riding Branch of The Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood.
In a packed pub, Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Branch Chair, Richard Lee, praised the range and quality of the cask ale, keg ale and other alcoholic delights on offer and the friendly, knowledgeable and dedicated staff team and commented on the manner in which the pub has evolved over the years to create what is now not only one of the best and most loved pubs in the branch area, but also within Yorkshire and much further afield. It is rather fitting, although not engineered, that the VCBC has gained the award in its 10th Birthday Year. After the pub opened, it has been expanded on a number of occasions, the toilets have been re-located and there are now multiple rooms with plenty of seating in a variety of comfortable settings.
The Victorian Craft Beer Café regularly serves nine beers and one cider on handpump and is the only pub in Calderdale to consistently serve three dark beers on cask. It has 18 kegs lines, 100s of bottled Belgian and World beers and a wide-range of other alcoholic drinks. Coffee, tea, pies, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are also available and it is open for at least 11 hours every day.
In his speech Richard also praised the bravery of the pub for offering the Back in Black Festival in which only dark beers are served. Back in Black is a celebrated event which has become famous throughout Northern England. This year’s Back in Black Festival will take place from the 5th – 8th December 2024 and there will be 40 different dark beers on handpump (16 served at any one time), 25 dark beers on keg (18 served at any one time) and a range of dark bottled beers. The festival is not to be missed so it is suggested that you should write the dates in your diary now.
2024 Cider Pub of the Year
Nan Moor’s Bar, Todmorden, Wins Second CAMRA Award in Two Months – Halifax & Calderdale CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year 2024
On Tuesday 28th May 2024, the day after the Spring Bank Holiday, the party had not stopped at Nan Moor’s Bar. Amongst an ambience of apple-themed vinyl records, surrounded by apple cake, numerous ciders and a barrel of apples for an apple-bobbing challenge, the cider enthusiasts gathered. They were joined by locals, regulars of the bar and CAMRA members as the bar was presented with Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year 2024 award.
As the dulcet tones of ‘I am a Cider Drinker’ by The Wurzels drifted off the decks, a very enthusiastic and exuberant Lee-Anne Burgess, Cider Representative for Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA, presented the award. Lee-Anne stated that she had been a customer at Nan Moor’s for a number of years and during that time their offering of real cider had expanded and customers could now be guaranteed to find several real ciders available at all times. She praised Nan Moor’s for offering a mix of local ciders as well as ciders from further afield and ciders in a variety of forms.
On the day of the presentation three boxes of real cider were provided, including two from Celtic Marches in Herefordshire (‘Slack Alice’ and ‘Abrahall’s Dry’) and one of the very last available boxes of Pure North’s ‘Deanhouse Dry’ from Holmfirth, who have now sadly stopped real cider production. On keg, ‘Southwest Orchards’ from Sheppy’s in Devon was provided and there were an array of bottled ciders in the fridge including Hogan’s from Warwickshire and Pilton’s from Somerset and a rotating selection of rarities from France and Italy that customers would have difficulty finding anywhere else.
Lee-Anne said that one of the things she particularly admired about Nan Moor’s Bar was their commitment to serving quality real ciders and not compromising their standards by serving poorer non-real alternatives. In addition, she praised Nan Moor’s Bar for its real ales, craft beers and sour beers and for the regular community events it holds including regular open decks sessions, music evenings and many different themed events. She also praised the owners and bar staff for providing a friendly, sociable space that caters for everyone and for the warm and friendly welcome. Lee-Anne concluded by stating that Nan Moor’s Bar was a well-deserved winner of Halifax and Calderdale’s CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year.
There are an increasing number of real cider/real perry drinkers in Calderdale and throughout the UK and Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA are keen to encourage more pubs to sell real cider and perry in bag in a box, bottle and on keg. A list of real cider and perry producers can be found on the National CAMRA website or can be emailed to interested parties by contacting Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA direct via the Branch Contact facility on the branch website. It should be noted that, unfortunately, not all ciders and perries are real.
2024 Yorkshire Cider Pub of the Year
A Hat Trick of 2024 CAMRA Awards for Nan Moor’s Bar, Todmorden.
On Saturday 17th August 2024 Nan Moor’s Bar in Todmorden received its third CAMRA award in five months. The first award presented to Nan Moor’s was the Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA Pub of the Season, Spring 2024; then the Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year 2024, presented in May, and now Nan Moor’s has received the highest county cider award, Yorkshire Cider Pub of the Year 2024.
The award was presented by Yorkshire CAMRA Regional Director, Kevin Keaveny. In his speech he congratulated Lauren and Alice, the owners of Nan Moor’s, for winning every round of CAMRA ‘s Cider Pub of the Year Competition 2024 so far and stated that by winning the Yorkshire CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year, it placed Nan Moor’s in the top 17 regional winners. As the Yorkshire Regional winner Nan Moor’s Bar will now go through to the 2024 National CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year Competition and he wished Nan Moor’s all the best in its attempts to achieve the top cider award.
Also in attendance at the presentation was Christine Jane, Yorkshire CAMRA Regional Cider Coordinator, who said “The panel of judges were very impressed by the range and quality of ciders available at Nan Moor’s Bar. It is good to see that quality bag in box ciders are always on offer at Nan Moor’s and we were also impressed with the other cider options including keg cider and the quality English and European real ciders sold in bottles. The judges feel that this award is well-deserved”
The ciders on offer on the presentation day were two real ciders in bag in box from Celtic Marches in Herefordshire and Udders’ Orchard in Lindley, Huddersfield and a farmhouse perry from Gywnt Y Ddraig in Pontypridd, South Wales. A keg cider was also served from South West Orchards and bottle and sharing bottle real ciders were on sale from English, Austrian, Italian and French cider producers.
Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA, and other Yorkshire CAMRA branches, wish Nan Moor’s Bar success in the National CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year Competition as, no doubt, do all cider drinkers in Calderdale and throughout Yorkshire.
2023 Pub of the Year
The Cross Keys, Siddal Gains Halifax & Calderdale CAMRA’s Top Award.
On Wednesday 26th April Hugh Kirby of the Cross Keys, Siddal was presented with Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Pub of Year award for 2023. The pub has now received the award on three occasions in the last ten years, previously being the Pub of the Year in 2014 and 2017, and was Highly Commended in Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Pub of Year Competition in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.
In a packed pub, Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Branch Chair, Richard Lee, stated that The Cross Keys was ‘the perfect pub’ and that it was ‘awesome’. He commented on the quality and range of the beers on sale, the dedication and knowledge of the staff, the warm and friendly atmosphere and the true community feel.
The Cross Keys is a 17th-century tavern that has a real traditional feel and serves eight real ales on handpump, two keg beers and a range of other drinks and is well-known for its locally made, quality, pork pies. It is a popular local’s local, is the home of conversation and banter, is visited by customers from much further afield and is frequented by walkers and cyclists as well as many other groups. It has an extensive, undercover, outdoor area where live music is often featured on Sunday afternoons.
The Cross Keys holds a popular beer and music festival in August (the 2023 event will take place from the 11th – 13th August) which is highly recommended by CAMRA members, SPBW members and local people. This festival is not to be missed.
2023 Cider Pub of the Year
The Fox and Goose, Hebden Bridge – Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year 2023
On Wednesday 12th July, the staff at the Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub in Hebden Bridge were presented with Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year 2023 award by Branch Cider Representative Lee-Anne Burgess. In her speech Lee-Anne stated that she had started to visit the Fox and Goose about 10 years previously because it was the pub that was most likely to sell more than one real cider on a regular basis. She praised the pub for recently installing two new taps which connect directly to two bag in a box still ciders dispensing different cider styles and for selling a real cider in bottle and on keg. She also praised the pub for supporting local cider producers such as ‘Udders Orchard in Huddersfield and Pure North Cider Press in Holmfirth, for rotating ciders and for acquiring real ciders from producers in other parts of the UK. Lee-Anne said that the Fox and Goose was a well-deserved winner of Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year and every time cider drinkers visit they can expect to find something different. She concluded by congratulating the pub for continuously offering a wide-range of quality real ales and congratulated all the staff at the Fox and Goose for making it such a great pub.
The Fox and Goose became West Yorkshire’s first community-owned co-operative pub on the 22nd March 2014. Since that time extensive renovations have gradually taken place, largely carried out by volunteer shareholders in their own time. It has been an entry in the Good Beer Guide every year since 2014 and has won numerous awards. The Fox and Goose won the Cider Pub of the Year award on a previous occasion (2019), periodically offers tutored cider tasting sessions and apple pressing is a feature of the pub’s annual Harvest Festival in October/November.
There are an increasing number of real cider/real perry drinkers in Calderdale and throughout the UK. Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA are keen to encourage more pubs to sell real cider and perry in bag in a box, bottle and on keg. A list of real cider and perry producers can be found on the National CAMRA website or can be emailed to interested parties by contacting Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA direct via the Branch Contact facility on the branch website. It should be noted that not all ciders and perries are real.
2022
The Fox and Goose Gains Another Top Award.
On Wednesday 27th April the Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub, Hebden Bridge received yet another award from CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale. The pub was presented with CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale’s top award, Pub of the Year 2022, by Branch Chair Richard Lee. Richard commented on the pub’s high quality customer service, knowledgeable staff, high quality ales and the range and diversity of beer styles. He also referred to the extensive refurbishment of the outdoor area and the range of musical and other events provided for customers.
The Fox and Goose became West Yorkshire’s first community-owned co-operative pub on the 22nd March 2014 and has been an entry in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide every year since that time. The 2022 Pub of the Year award is added to the string of other awards presented to the Fox and Goose by the CAMRA branch in recent years. In 2015 it was winter Pub of the Season, in 2017, 2018 and 2020 it was Highly Commended in the Pub of the Year Competition and in 2019 it was Pub of the Year and Highly Commended in the Cider Pub of the Year as well as being the Runner Up in the Yorkshire Pub of the Year competition.
The Fox and Goose is one of many high quality pubs in the CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale branch area. Collectively they contribute to the area being a centre for beer tourism and attract ale drinkers from other parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire and many other places throughout the UK.
2020
The Market Tavern Wins CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale’s Top Award.
In an informal presentation on the 30th July 2020, Andrew (aka Snap) and Debbie Gardner and Adam Bryan of the Market Tavern in Brighouse were presented with CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale’s Top Award, Pub of the Year 2020. The Market Tavern, in the centre of Brighouse, opened in February 2016 and since that time has won a string of CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale awards including Pub of the Season in Spring 2017, Highly Commended in the Pub of the Year Competition 2018, Highly Commended in the Pub of the Year Competition and the Cider Pub of the Year Competition 2019 and this year the highest award that can be presented by the CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale Branch.
the Year Award at the informal presentation on Thursday 30th July 2020
The Market Tavern is easily accessible by bus and is only a ten minute walk from Brighouse Railway Station. It serves 6 rotating real ales on handpump, real cider, lagers, spirits, wines and bottled beers. Bar snacks are available under normal circumstances and there is a fish and chip shop nearby. Seating is provided in the bar area, lounge and beer garden. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful and local customers are very friendly. A perfect place to visit.
The Market Tavern is now automatically entered in to the Regional Pub of the Year Competition and it is hoped that, along with the massive achievements of the pub over recent years, it will be judged worthy of achieving a Yorkshire Regional award.
2019
Double Award for the Fox and Goose
On the 25th April the Fox and Goose Co-operative Pub in Hebden Bridge was presented with the CAMRA Halifax and Calderdale Pub of the Year award for 2019. The pub had previously received Highly Commended certificates in the Pub of the Year competition in 2017 and 2018 and this year received the highest award that the branch can bestow. This is an excellent achievement for the Fox and Goose which only five/six years earlier was facing an uncertain future.
Members of the branch, shareholders and locals turned out in large numbers to celebrate the pub’s success and Richard Lee, the Branch Chair, gave a short speech praising the pub’s achievements, the high quality and consistency of ale sold, the recent developments and the community events held, before presenting two certificates and the Pub of the Year banner to Hannah Thurman (Manager) and Drew Marsh (Bar/Cellar Person). The second of the two certificates was a Highly Commended award in the Cider Pub of the Year category.
The Fox and Goose (West Yorkshire’s first Community Pub) is now automatically entered in to the Regional Pub of the Year Competition and it is hoped that, with the massive achievements of the pub over recent years, it will be judged worthy of achieving a Yorkshire Regional award.
2018
April 26th we awarded the Victorian Craft Beer Cafe the 2018 Pub of the Year. Although featuring in the shortlist of several previous occasions it was undoubtedly a popular choice. Members of the branch turned up in force to help celebrate a pub that has helped put beer at the forefront of the Halifax resurgence.
Richard Lee gave a short speech praising the pub for putting the beer quality at the forefront by continually to put on interesting ales served at their peak.
The banner itself was presented by the previous winner – Hugh Kirby of the Cross Keys and beer drinkers all over Halifax can be assured that such tough competition will ensure that standards are kept high.
The pub is now automatically entered into the next stage of the Regional competition and its hard to think that such an attractive pub hasn’t got something to offer to all. Certainly if the packed nature of the presentation night was anything to go by it has proven itself well capable of offering something for everyone.
Richard & Simon
2017
On Wednesday 26th March the branch presented The Cross Keys with its Pub of The Year Award. This is their second award in 4 years so the Cross Keys is obviously doing something right.
Hugh and Ruth, joined by their team of Amy, Chloe and H were presented with the certificate by Branch Chair, Peter Judge. In his speech he alluded to the quality of the beer in the Cross Keys but said that in order to be the Pub of the Year the pub itself had to have something that made it that bit special.
A Fitting Tribute
The fact that so many people turned out that night was testament to the fact that it wasn’t just CAMRA that thought highly of the pub. Peter also mentioned that not only was it the branch Pub of The Year but now automatically was entered into the competition for Yorkshire Pub of the Year.