Nearly every CAMRA Branch selects a Pub of the Year to go forward to the National Pub of the Year Competition. After a review of selection methods used by other Branches, Wirral adopted what we believe to be best practice, avoiding any possibility of vote rigging or other bad practices and which we think is fair. It is not based on a popular vote which can be manipulated but rather a judging system based on set criteria.

• We invite nominations from Wirral Branch members about three months before the Branch AGM. At the same time we ask members if they would like to volunteer to help in the judging process.
• This is not a voting process so only one nomination is needed for each pub. Asking all your friends to nominate a pub which you have already nominated is a waste of time.
• The pub (as defined by CAMRA) must be within the Wirral Branch area (Wirral Borough plus post code CH64 in Cheshire).
• Nominations may be made at Wirral Branch meetings or to the email address advised nearer the time.
• The minimum criteria for nomination will be the same as for selection for a Branch pub entry in Good Beer Guide - the pub must have been selling real ale in excellent condition for at least 6 months.
• No pub may win the award on more than three consecutive occasions.
• The Committee will review nominations to exclude pubs which don't qualify (e.g. no real ale throughout the last 6 months or beer quality reported by several members as not sufficiently high standard) and draw up shortlist.
• Several small groups of volunteer judges are allocated a number of shortlisted pubs to visit and judge. There are multiple visits by different judges.
• The factors to be scored are Quality and Range of Beer, Service and Welcome, Comfort and Atmosphere
• The pubs scoring the highest marks will be revisited so that by the end of the process, all the judging groups will have visited all the top scoring pubs.
• The winner will be announced at the Wirral Branch February meeting.

Past Winners

2024 – Magazine (New Brighton)

2023 – Red Fox (Thornton Hough)

2022 – Magazine (New Brighton) – progressed to be Merseyside and Cheshire Regional Pub of the Year

2021 – Magazine (New Brighton)

2020 – Magazine (New Brighton)

2019 – Lazy Landlord (Liscard)

2018 – Lazy Landlord (Liscard)

2017 – Lazy Landlord (Liscard)

2016 – Gallaghers (Birkenhead)

2015 – Gallaghers (Birkenhead)

2014 – Fox & Hounds (Barnston)

2013 – Gallaghers (Birkenhead)

2012 – Gallaghers (Birkenhead)

2011 – Gallaghers (Birkenhead)