The Fleece Inn awarded best pub Worcestershire, Bretforton

The Fleece Inn in Bretforton near Evesham has won the pub of the year award by Shakespeare CAMRA for Worcestershire.

Dating back to the 1400's, the building was first used to brew beer in 1848.

The Fleece inn landlord: Nigel Smith (Image: Nigel Smith)

Nigel Smith the pub landlord, has run The Fleece Inn for the past 20 plus years and said: "I am not surprised to win the award as we always work very hard. 

"We have a great selection of local and good quality beers and cask ales.

"Its great to have this vindication for all the hard work the whole team has put in, not just over the last year, but for the last twenty years.

This is not the first time that the pub has won this award, winning in 2018, 2020 and 2022. 

The Fleece Inn has also won an award for the best beer garden in the Cotswolds in 2023, and was a finalist in the great British pub awards in 2019.

Mr Smith continued: "Its always a great honour to win any award, and you must not take anything for granted in this industry, so this is very positive."

"We have our award presentation on April 24 and we are going to celebrate the evening afterwards, I think we all plan on having a celebratory pint of beer or two."

The Fleece Inn (Image: Nigel Smith)

Rankings are given by CAMRA members who visit all the pubs in the county and vote on their favourites on some strict criteria such as the range of ales to the quality of the toilets.

Mr Smith said: "Its a very fitting place to have a traditional cask ale in a tradition inn. 

"My staff appreciate the fact that this award recognises all of their efforts in making this a great pub. 

"They understand that The Fleece Inn is striving for excellence and they fully appreciate the recognition, we are fortunate enough to have won a number of awards."

The building was first used as a medieval farmhouse and is now owned by The National Trust.