PARWICH.ORG

The results of the 2008 Great British Pub Awards are now in

Janet and Steve went to London knowing the Sycamore Inn had been recognised as the Best Community Pub in the Midlands.  Last night at a grand reception in the Park Lane Hilton at the Great British Pub Awards the Sycamore was also awarded the accolade of the Best Pub in the East and West Midlands and the national Best Community Pub of 2008.

Already Janet has been interviewed by live phone link on Radio Derby at 7-40am, no mean feat given the reception last night didn’t finish til after 2am.  The Derby Evening Telegraph have also got their interview booked.  Phylis, looking after the pub this lunchtime, was so proud of her daughter’s achievements: “Janet sent us a text last night saying We have won, then she phoned later.  I never thought she would win when I filled the form in.  It is good she got such an attractive dress to wear“.  A customer commented: “Janet is getting to be in the papers as much as Tom Chambers“.  Stuart had also been interviewed on Radio Derby this morning talking about Tom in Strictly Come Dancing.

Janet and Steve are due home this afternoon.  After the flooding they will be pleased to return to glorious sunshine:

 
We hope to have more photographs to follow.

The website for the 2008 Great British Pub Awards reads as follows:

Last night the winners to the Great British Pub Awards 2008 were revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on London’s Hilton on Park Lane. Guests were treated to a three course meal and were entertained by TV’s Hugh Dennis of Mock the Week fame. The awards culminated in the Compasses at Pattiswick being crowned with the ultimate award of Great British Pub of the Year. Guests partied until 2am and we are sure that there are a few sore heads this morning!

Look out for the next issue of Morning Advertiser for further coverage.

Category Champions

Best Family Pub: The Castle Inn, Caldicot, Monmouthshire
Best Gastropub: The Plough Inn, Chester, Cheshire
Best Creative Outdoor Area: The Fox Inn, Felpham, West Sussex
Best Food Pub: The Linnet, Great Hinton, Wiltshire
Best Community Pub: The Sycamore, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Best Pub Staff Training Programme: Plunginton Hotel, Preston, Lancashire
Best Freehouse: The Chetnole Inn, Sherbourne, Dorst
Best Tenanted/Leased Pub: The Monkton, Taunton, Dorset
Best Cellar: The Magpie, London
Best Family Pub: The Compasses at Pattiswick, Pattiswick, Essex
Best Newcomer: The Feathers Inn, Stocksfield, Northumberland
Best Cask Beer Pub: Ye Olde Mitre, London
Best Managed Pub: Churchill Arms, London
Best Entertainment Pub: The Horn, St Albans, Hertfordshire

Regional Champions

East & West Midlands: The Sycamore
London: The Churchill Arms
East Anglia: The Compasses
North West: The Plough Inn
Wales: The Castle Inn
West Country: The Linnet
South East: The Fox Inn
Yorkshire and North East: The Feathers Inn

Great British Pub of the Year – The Compasses at Pattiswick

The Morning Advertiser website has the following to say:

The Sycamore, Parwich, Derbyshire.

Judges were unanimous in declaring the Sycamore as epitomising the Pub is the Hub initiative. Under the stewardship of Janet Gosling, the Frederic Robinson outlet has become the focal point of community life in Parwich and is the home of a number of local organisations. Janet has converted a room in the pub to become the village’s only shop and she leaves home at 7am to travel 20 miles to obtain supplies from a cash-and-carry. The Sycamore also offers a laundry service and Janet will take in parcels for villagers who are at work.

And as for the judges’ citation for East & West Midlands Pub of the Year:

“The Sycamore is a shining example of a pub that serves its community. Janet Gosling deserves full credit for opening a shop within the pub and all the extra hard work that entails. The Sycamore is more than a pub, it is a community centre catering for everyone.”