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ANCHOR WINS FOURTH AWARD

After a few years out of the limelight, the Anchor in Digbeth came back with a vengeance to take the Birmingham CAMRA Pub Of the Year award for the fourth time. There had been a great deal of excitement when the result was announced at the Branch AGM and January 2008 saw the award being made at the pub itself.

                       

Gerry Keane has been running the pub himself for many years and it is coming up to 35 years of being run by the Keane family. Gerry prides himself on the range and quality of beers on offer at the pub and selects ales to please beer spotters and regular drinkers alike. A number of brews were produced specially to mark the award and there have been various CAMRA champion beers on offer since the result was announced.

                       

On the day of our visit, there were beers from Church End, Beowulf (Finns Hall Porter) and Weatheroak (T.E.A) Breweries representing local sources. 2007 Champion beer of Britain, Hobsons Mild was also there as well as a special from Elland Brewery, called Inn-Digbeth. Full Mash brewery produced two ales called 'Best Inn Brum' III and IV, which proved very popular.

                       

The award was presented to Gerry by Richard Reynolds during the lunchtime session, when members of the press were invited. There was also a CAMRA social in the evening when the award was announced to all those present by Branch Chairman, Clive Walder. There were also presentations made to two charities that the pub and its customers support on a regular basis. There followed a brief interlude when the pub's own officially appointed poet-laureate read out a couple of verses to celebrate the event, before the masses tucked into a more-than-generous buffet in the 'Quiet man's room'.

                       

The Anchor has recently undergone a discrete redecoration, which has not significantly changed the look and feel of a great pub. The area surrounding the Anchor is being redeveloped, with the Coach Station being rebuilt and flats being built nearby, but all this should enhance the pub's location. We expect the Anchor to be a front-runner in the next competition and in years to come.

© Richard Reynolds 2008

 

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Last modified: 03/11/07