A PUB near Chester has today been named the best in Cheshire.

Pubs and bars from across the entirety of the United Kingdom are celebrating after being named the best in their respective counties.

The award wins are part of the 2024 National Pub & Bar Awards, which each year crowns nearly 100 County Winners from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Cholmondeley Arms, near Malpas, has been announced as the winner for Cheshire and comes after the country pub, which was once described as 'a lost cause', was named Great British Pub of the Year 2023.

The venues now have over two months in which to trade off their win, before making their way to the National Pub & Bar Awards grand final on June 26.

Held in London, the final will welcome all 94 County Winners to come together and celebrate their achievements, before discovering which venues will go on to become Regional Winners.

The awards night will also crown the Pub Group of the Year, Bar Group of the Year, The Tyrrells Tyrrellbly Good Taste Award – presented by the event’s headline sponsor – and, finally, the overall National Pub & Bar of the Year.

“The fact that we had record entries for the 2024 National Pub & Bar Awards tells us two things,” said Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, which runs the event.

“One is how highly the industry regards these accolades, which is fantastic. But, also, it shows that more operators are in need of really positive and strong publicity to help drive business at the moment.

Pubs and bars are facing some of the biggest challenges in recent history, so if the National Pub & Bar Awards can help by lifting sales across these venues, then we’re delighted to play our part.”

The National Pub & Bar Awards 2024 is sponsored by Tyrrells, ICRTouch, Kerrymaid, Panasonic, Santa Maria and Sky Business. The full list of County Winners can be found below.

The Cholmondeley Arms, affectionately known to locals as ‘The Chum’, is owned by Tim Bird and Mary Maclaughlin.

The couple own six pubs including The Chum and since taking it over in 2011, Tim and Mary have carried out significant restoration and refurbishment work to the former schoolhouse, creating the charm, character, and atmosphere the pub offers today.