TWO Worcestershire pubs have received top honours in the latest Good Pub Guide national awards.

The Fleece Inn at Bretforton, near Evesham, has been crowned Country Pub of the Year 2016 while the Crown & Trumpet in Broadway is named Value Pub of the Year 2016.

Landlord of the Fleece Nigel Smith said the pub has been listed in the Good Pub Guide for the past 13 years since he has been running it.

He said: “A pub has to be outstanding in some way or another to get into the Good Pub Guide. The main things are the building and The Fleece is of architectural importance, excellent food and drink and good service.

“It is a great honour to receive this award. We just do what we do and try to do our very best in all aspects of the business. It is great to be recognised for doing what we do.”

Nigel added that the pub had been recognised many times by the local Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) group, but this was the first time the Fleece had received an award from the Good Pub Guide – the Bible for all pub lovers in Britain.

He said being named County Pub of the Year was the perfect category for the Fleece. “If you wanted to show an English country to a foreign visitor, this would be a perfect example. We are set in a beautiful village, we offer service that is friendly but not stuffy – it is a homely affair – and the food has a rustic feel.”

The pub is now displaying its Good Pub Guide award and Nigel said his ultimate ambition would be to receive the Pub of the Year Award, which this year has gone to Horse & Groom in Bourton-on-the-Hill, between Broadway and Morton-in-the Marsh.

“The Pub of the Year Award is something we will be working towards and there are lots of other things which we want to pursue. This award has spurred us on.”

Andrew Scott, who has run the Crown and Trumpet in Broadway for 32 years, said he was delighted with the Good Pub Guide Value Pub of the Year 2016 award.

“It is the first time we have won a Good Pub Guide award. It is wonderful to get the award and it is especially nice for the staff. I have a very good team that has been here for a long time,” he said.

He added that one of the criteria for this category was that they had to make all the food themselves. “We are not necessarily the cheapest – most meals are about £8 or £9 – but the quality of the food is good. We just try to give value for money and a lot of people voted for us because we are doing that.”

He said in some ways the Crown and Trumpet fits the image of an English village pub with roses around the door, real ales and live entertainment but it also offers something a bit different for customers such as duck or venison bangers with mash rather than just the traditional pork variety.

“The joy of the institution of the English pub is that there is a lot of variety,” said Andrew.