The Winner! 2000/1
"The Spinning Mill"
Ballymena
Gail (CAMRA N.I.), myself, Lorraine & Mark (The Spinning Mill)
I travelled to Ballymena with Dave West,
Wetherspoon's official photographer, who came all the way from Newcastle, Tyne &
Wear for the photo shoot. Gail Kinner, Secretary of CAMRA N.I., accompanied us.
I presented the award to Mark & Lorraine, the management team of the Spinning
Mill and Dave took photographs for Wetherspoon's Newsletter (some 350,000 copies
per issue!).
So what did Wetherspoon's think about all this? Well, it got on their web and
newsletter at the time!
The Winner! 2002/3
LIZZIE DRAKE'S
The Maze
228 Moira Road, Lisburn
Malachy & Veronica (Drake's) and myself
I had known of this pub for many years and had
been in it in my youth. It has only been the last few years that I would go
there on a regular basis for meals and a convivial pint. The atmosphere is
relaxed, the food is good and the staff are friendly. Well worth checking out.
They do not take bookings but you could phone ahead just in case.
The Winner! 2003/4
Q.U.B. STAFF COMMON ROOM
1 College Gardens
Belfast
The Manager, Paddy, and myself
I first visited the S.C.R. in the early 1990's as
CAMRA branch Chairman to sample the draught Theakston Bitter and started going
back again a couple of years ago. The ale is always in fine fettle and the food
is good and at a very reasonable price. The place is quiet and relaxing,
somewhere to get away from the frenetic lifestyle of typical Belfast pubs and
actually be able to talk without ripping out your vocal chords. sadly the QUB
management made the regrettable decision to sell and it is now just yet another
trendy place.
The Winner! 2004/5
THE WHITE HORSE
Main Street
Saintfield
Kerry (with baby Kara May) & Bernard Sloan, with myself.
I have been going here for many years when it was
run by the Spratt family. I was always impressed by the range and quality of the
beers and the beer festivals were not to be missed. The ales were supplied by
Whitewater Brewery who took over the premise a couple of years ago. Since then
the downstairs restaurant has been totally refurbished and a new menu & wine
list added. The upstairs has recently been totally redone, yet in a classic and
tasteful way. Beer quality has not diminished and the bar staff are as friendly
as ever. The bar is certainly becoming the hub of Saintfield's social life. Well
worth seeking out.
The Winner! 2005/6
RYAN's WEE BAR & GRILL
Lisburn Road
Belfast
Presentation at Ryan's Bar
This was a favourite of mine when it was "The
Four in Hand". Indeed, a grandfather of mine imbibed here in his younger days as
well. It was with some trepidation that I learned that it was to be renovated.
However, Botinns did well to keep the old charm while modernising and it now has
a quite eclectic clientele.
The staff are friendly, the music is not loud and it feels relaxed even when
busy. Upstairs has a good restaurant with interesting offers. The spicy chicken
wings are to die for and can be ordered as a carry out. They are quite
addictive.
The Winner! 2006/7
THE MERMAID
5-7 Wilson's Court
(off High Street) Belfast
Presentation to Vincent
This is one of the last of Belfast's famous
street entry pubs and one of the last not to have changed its great atmosphere
and customer base. The food is excellent, with a no nonsense menu, just good
food the way it should be - without pretension.
The only change has been the cafe-bar style doors leading onto the entry patio.
This was done to cater for the non smoking laws but it does add a certain
something that somehow does not seem out of place.
Beloved of punters (with a "turf" just up the alley), shoppers in for a
substantial meal, the office crowd or just the passer-by; I hope it stays the
way it is to remind us of the lost pubs of Belfast.
The Winner! 2007/8
There was no award this year due to family
ill healthX.
The Winner! 2008/9
THE BRIDGE BAR
Bedford Street
Belfast
Presentation at The Bridge Bar with Barry the Manager.
I have been coming to this pub since it opened way back in 2000. I have seen staff come and go over the years but I have always found them friendly and willing to help. It says something these days when I do not have to shout my order against far too loud music. For me, the cask ales have been the big attraction. As the handling and serving experience of such ales has grown locally it has been a pleasure to taste such a wide variety every month. In a country where little cask ale has been readily available for many a year it is a greater pleasure to sample them at a less than ridiculous price.
While the food is standardised (across some 700+ premises) and is not of the nouvelle cuisine fad it certainly is wholesome and something that the ordinary person can appreciate, especially at the attractive prices and catering for children & vegetarians. The atmosphere of an establishment is what makes the customer think about returning. The atmosphere here has certainly changed over the years and while often young and vibrant it is still pulling in the older generation until, I believe, the word "eclectic" certainly suits a typical visit.