Britain's most beautiful pubs 2025 from historic beer houses to cosy village bars
DRINK IT IN Britain's most beautiful pubs 2025 from historic beer houses to cosy village bars
SIX of the best-looking pubs have been revealed in the UK, including new modern wonders as well as historic beer houses.
The Pub Design Awards 2025, created by Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA), looks at hundreds of drinking establishments around the UK.
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The UK's best-looking pubs have been revealed
Credit: Camra
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bod Lichfield was named the best new pub
Credit: Camra
The awards also works with design and conservation experts alongside Historic England.
Andrew Davison, Chair of the Pub Design Awards judging panel, said the awards "recognise the highest standards of pub architecture, rewarding artistic flair and painstaking historical conservation."
He added: "From inviting street corner locals to striking medieval coaching inns, there are some stunning pubs in the UK, and the craftmanship involved in making these venues a gorgeous place to enjoy cask beer and real cider or perry should rightfully be applauded."
The best new build pub - meaning any that were built in 2024 - was bod Lichfield in Stratford.
The "industrial chic design" with "recycled wood, distressed paintwork, quirky light fittings and exposed ceiling pipes," were praised.
It comes after the bod Alsager in Cheshire was named one of the best by CAMRA last year.
However for a more authentic pub, the Historic England Conservation award (which preserves many of the features) was given to Swan in Suffolk.
Dating back to the 17th century, a new conservatory bar has been added, while many of the Grade-II listed timber frames have been restored.
One person wrote on Tripadvisor: "Love this place. The refurb has just added to just how wonderful this place is."
When it comes to the best refurbished pub, the Druid Inn in Wales was given the top spot , after it was restored and reopened last year.
Pub With A 'Floating' Beer Garden By The Beach
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The Python Arms has sadly since closed
Credit: Camra
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Swan in Suffolk was given a top award
Credit: Camra
Lots of previous guests called it a "gem" of a pub and praised the staff as well.
Sadly, one of the joint winning pubs has since had to close for good.
Two pubs were named the best when it comes to converted pubs, one being Borough Beer House in Surrey.
Once a Bailiffs Hall, dating back to the 1600s, has renovated it and turned it into a pub.
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The Swan has a great outdoor area as well
Credit: Camra
However, the Python's Arms in Herefordshire was praised for being a converted farm building.
The owners, who had run the pub for nine years, cited financial difficulties.
Sadly it has since had to close, with Gary Timmins Chair of CAMRA's Awards Committee adding: "Within just a year from being converted into a beautiful pub, this rapid closure should be ringing alarm bells.
"Real action is needed to support the pub industry, otherwise we will lose many more locals in the near future.'
Full list of the UK's best-looking pubs
Best new build
Winner: bod Lichfield, Staffordshire
Best Historic England Conservation
Winner: Swan, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk
Best conversion to pub use
Joint winner: Borough Beer House, Farnham, Surrey
Joint winner (now closed): Python's Arms, Lyonshall, Herefordshire
Best refurbishment
Winner: Druid Inn, Gorsedd, Wales
Commended: Peasants' Tavern, North Walsham, Norfolk
Best community local
Winner: Forester, West Ealing, London
The community local winner pub was Forester in West Ealing, London.
Here are the winning pubs last year.
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Scottish Sun
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- Scottish Sun
I've visited 24,000 boozers & knocked back 60,000 pints on ‘world's longest pub crawl' – here are my top 5 picks in UK
Peter has even secured a Guinness World Record for the world's longest pub crawl DRINK IT IN I've visited 24,000 boozers & knocked back 60,000 pints on 'world's longest pub crawl' – here are my top 5 picks in UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A REAL ale fan celebrated visiting visiting 24,000 boozers and downing 60,000 pints after more than 40 years on the "world's longest pub crawl". Peter Hill, from West Bromwich, drank to his 69th birthday after reaching his milestone at the Elephant & Castle in the West Midlands on June 20. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Peter Hill (front left) and friends started trying out different pubs in 1984 Credit: SWNS 9 Peter (second right) then started average 11 pub visits a week Credit: SWNS 9 His group received a Guinness World Record title in 2017 after visiting 20,000 pubs Credit: SWNS 9 Peter Hill (front right) and co have now visited their 24,000th pub for his 69th birthday Credit: SWNS The father-of-two has travelled 400,000 miles across the country, and averaged 11 pubs each week, since starting on his expedition in 1984. This involved having a pint on 69 islands around the UK, visiting a boozer in every British county, and drinking at very pub in Wales. When Peter started, a pint cost 64p. Where it all started Peter started testing out different boozers with his mates when they got bored of drinking at the same one all the time, and they soon became known as the Black Country Ale Tairsters. After testing out a different pub from a map that was given out by the local Banks brewery in Wolverhampton, the Black Country Ale Tairsters then set out to visit all 300 pubs listed. Peter then had the aim of of visiting every pub on the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) guide. "Then we sort of said 'shall we get to 1,000?' - then it was 2,000, then 3,000 and it just never stopped from there." The now retired engineer, Peter, eventually entered record books by trekking to all corners of Britain. His group set a record for the longest pub crawl, but that was never the main focus for Peter. He began to raise money for charities, like children's hospitals and the Air Ambulance, and raised over £35,000 over the years as each challenge became more and more ambitious. Britain's cheapest Wetherspoons' pint revealed Peter said: "It's been a great adventure and I've met some amazing people along the way. "I'm not sure if I'll ever stop, as I still really enjoy it. "There's still hundreds of pubs to go, so I'll keep on going while I can." Whilst numbers in the Black Country Ale Tairsters have gone up and down as life has gone on, Peter has persevered with the expedition, sometimes even going by himself. "We used to get a little drunk in the early days but it's more of a mature hobby now and I always take it easy and pace myself. We don't drink to excess," he added. "I mainly stick to the real ales but we'll try the odd stout and mild too. It's brilliant fun, you can't be a good pub." "I love the characters you meet." One of the rooms in Hills' home now contains 280-arch lever files which log every pub with pictures, menus and other memorabilia from the adventures. What makes a good pub For Peter, the best kinds of pubs are the "old-fashioned traditional boozers". He likes when then have just a couple of rooms, and provide a warm welcome too. He added: "And it helps if they have a good beer on." 9 Peter has an extensive collection of folders documenting all the pubs he has visited Credit: SWNS 9 The Black Country Ale Tairsters celebrated their 40th anniversary of pub crawls last year Credit: SWNS Throughout the years, Peter has seen the industry go through drastic changes with an increasing number of pubs struggling. However, he never goes for the pints that can reach up to seven or even ten quid. But to record that he has visited a pub, Peter leaves a calling card which he gets a staff member to sign. "The wife is OK with it, she just accepts it's my hobby." Peter and his wife Dawn, 66, plan to next go to Greenwich for their anniversary where they will down a few more pints. "I'm trying to do my bit to keep the pub scene alive. I'll keep going until the beer runs out." Peter's top 5 pubs Peter and his Black Country Ale Tairsters group achieved their Guinness World Record for the Longest Pub Crawl in 2017, after reaching their 20,000th pub. The now real ale connoisseur has revealed his top pubs in the UK, and why. The Black Lion, Consall Forge, Staffs: out in the wild, has an old steam train running past, next to a canal, lovely beer garden. Yew Tree Inn, Caulden, Staffs: 88-year-old landlord still remembers Peter visiting in the early days in 1987 as pub number 1,052. Old place full of antiques and great atmosphere. The Mug House, Claines, Worcester: has three little rooms, by lovely little churchyard. Peter also has a pal there who he sees often. The Rising Sun, Tipton, West Midlands: has been Peter's local pub for years, welcoming and friendly faces. Payton Arms, Stoke Lyne, Oxon: unique place full of cobwebs and spiders, old fashioned and hard to describe. Peter also added: "My favourites are Oakham Cistra, Abbeydale Moonshine or Deception, Ossett White Rat and Black Country Ales. "We've been to the Shetlands, Orkneys, Jersey, Guernsey. "And to parts of Europe too as we like to visit military and war sites, like the Somme." 9 The Black Lion, Consall Forge, Staffs is in Peter's top 5 list of pubs Credit: SWNS 9 His local pub, The Rising Sun, also remains among his favourites Credit: SWNS
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