Lib Dems are renowned for their love of real ale, so perhaps it is no surprise that nine years ago Duncan Borrowman and Grace Goodlad decided to transform a failing pub into a community hub dedicated to real ale and craft beers. Many a party activist has made their way to The Bailey Head in Oswestry, especially during the by-election campaign in North Shropshire.

And now the couple have just been awarded the highest accolade in the pub world – CAMRA’s Pub of the Year.

The Bailey Head in Oswestry, Shropshire has been named the Campaign for Real Ale’s overall Pub of the Year for the first time.https://t.co/hCsA9xOIgR

— Shropshire Live (@shropshirelive) January 17, 2025

The BBC reports:

“You’ve got to have good beer to win, but that’s not enough on it’s own,” Grace said.

“It’s all the other bits, the added value, that’s what makes the difference I think.”

“You’re judged on your beer quality, and Duncan runs the cellar so that’s definitely down to him,” she told the BBC.

“But then it also looks at things like hygiene, the welcome you get from staff, staff’s knowledge…whether or not you’re involved in supporting the local community.”

The pair estimates they had about 30 visits from judges before winning the award, but at the time had no idea they were being judged.

As if that didn’t take up enough of their lives, both Duncan and Grace are standing as candidates for Shropshire Council, Grace in Oswestry South and Duncan in Llanymynech.  Winners, both of them!

* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.