The Freshfield Pub is One of Five Mersey pubs named among Britains Best

Beer campaigners have raised their glasses to five Mersey pubs to mark national Community Pubs Month.

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) is promoting a list of more than 200 of Britain’s best pubs to mark this month’s event, which aims to promote the value of pubs to their communities.

The group has brought together all of the “pubs of the year” selected by branches across the country – including our very own pub, The Freshfield in our Bubble, the Liverpool Pigeon in Crosby, pub/barbershop Gallaghers in Birkenhead, The Cricketers in St Helens and The Prospect in Runcorn.

Famous real ale haunt The Freshfield – a runner-up in the national Camra Pub of the Year Award 2014 – won the Southport and West Lancashire branch’s top title.

Last month, Camra’s Liverpool and District branch named the Liverpool Pigeon its pub of the year for the second year in a row.

As a “micropub”, it serves only real ales and ciders with no alcopops or spirits.

In St Helens, the Cricketers Arms, in Peter Street just beyond the town centre, is also celebrating a double success after winning the Pub of the Year title in 2014 and 2015. This year it also won the Cider Pub of the Year title this year to complete what the branch calls “a never before achieved double”.

Gallaghers, which won Wirral Camra’s top prize last month, is one of Britain’s most unusual pubs. Behind its bar packed with military memorabilia is a fully functioning barbershop.

The Prospect, in Weston Road, Runcorn, won the Halton branch’s top honour.

All the local branch winners will battle it out in regional heats before the National Pub of the Year is announced in early 2016.

Tom Stainer, Camra’s head of communications, said; “Community Pubs Month is about highlighting the important role pubs play in community life and no pubs are better examples of fantastic locals than these two hundred CAMRA branch winners. Each one of them has been judged the best in their respective area and are well worth seeking out for any would-be ale lovers.

“Pubs play an essential role in our communities and are clearly very highly valued, but despite this are still being lost at an alarming rate across the UK. The best way people can protect their local’s future is by getting down there and supporting it – which is why throughout April CAMRA will be calling on people to visit their local pub and support an important British industry.”

What pub is your favourite in our Bubble, let us know which one and why.