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Chiltern District Pub Competition 09

The Toast of Chiltern

The 2009 Chiltern District Pub of the Year competition results have been announced. The Jolly Cricketers in Seer Green is the overall winner.

The winners in the other main categories are:

Best food pub - Hit and Miss, Penn Street
Best family pub - The Squirrel, Penn Street
Best community pub - The Jolly Cricketers, Seer Green
The Full Moon at Little Kingshill - highly recommended for food award.

Ninety pubs in Chiltern were invited to take part in this, the seventh annual Pub of the Year competition. Following a record number of nominations (almost 1,000), 12 pubs were shortlisted and visited by a judging panel comprising of officers from Chiltern District Council and Bucks County Council, The Campaign for Real Ale, reporters from the Bucks Examiner and the South Bucks and Chiltern Access Group.

Pubs were judged on the following criteria:
Customer service; accessibility for customers with physical disabilities;
involvement in the local community; family friendly facilities; overall appearance, inside and out; sourcing ingredients for local suppliers; quality and choice of food and drinks; value for money; cleanliness and atmosphere; catering for those with special needs i.e. food intolerances and limited mobility.

Further information about all the winners can be found in the Chiltern Good Pub Guide, which will be available across the district later this summer, or visit the Chiltern council website - www.chiltern.gov.uk/pub

Councillor Mimi Harker, Cabinet Member with responsibility for communities said: "Congratulations to all the successful pubs and especially the Jolly Cricketers who truly deserved to win. This year there were almost 1,000 nominations, an amazing response. Our local pubs are often the real hub of our local communities and serve a vital role in maintaining our smaller rural neighbourhoods. To see so many pubs meeting such a high standard and continuing to trade in such difficult economic times is fantastic."

Here are just some of the quotes we received from people who nominated the Jolly Cricketers for its awards:

"Transforms Seer Green, brought back community spirit. Great regular events. Amanda and Chris are a godsend."

"The cricketers has brought life back into the village over the past year - always friendly and welcoming."

"Really central to the local community. Like no other pub in the county. Wish we had it in our village."

"Before it was passed into new hands last year, I hadn't set foot in this pub for 16 years. Now I come here to socialise, have fantastic food, and enjoy the lovely atmosphere the new owners have created. It is great!"

The Chiltern Pub of the Year competition is sponsored by Chiltern District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the Buckinghamshire Examiner and the South Bucks and Chiltern Access Group.