Oakengates pub reaches final of prestigious awards
A Shropshire pub has been judged one of the top six in the country after reaching the final of a prestigious awards scheme.
The Crown Inn at Oakengates this week welcomed judges from the Great British Pub Awards as landlord John Ellis now waits to find out how his pub will do in the final in September.
John, who has kept the Crown for more than 20 years, was delighted to have made the final cut.
"We have made the final before, we have won the regional title in the past, but sadly they do not do that any more," he said.
"We've just been showing the judges around."
The competition is organised by pub trade publication the Morning Advertiser.
The Crown will be competing with five other pubs, including The Hogshead in Wolverhampton, for the title of Best Beer Pub at the ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on September 6.
The Pheasant at Neenton, near Bridgnorth, which was taken over by villagers after it closed in 2006, is in the running for the Best Community Pub title.
The Hanmer Arms at Whitchurch is in the final for the Best Turnaround category.
The Crown reached the final of the same awards in 2014, having won the West Midlands and Wales Best Cask Beer Pub title.
In 2008 it was named the Best Cask Beer Pub in the East and West Midlands, and the year before won the Best Free House title for the region.
