The importance of community and ‘saving’ a village pub was highlighted at a recent York area CAMRA presentation.

After a tour of pubs in the Selby area, members gathered at the Greyhound in Riccall to celebrate it becoming the group’s Town and Country Pub of the Season.

Selby-area stalwart Colin Young nominated The Greyhound and presented the award on the evening earlier this month.

In an emotional presentation, Colin thanked landlady Sam Bainbridge for “saving the pub and putting it at the heart of the community.”

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To toast its success, members had a choice of four beers from the Ossett Brewery and one from Hobsons Brewery, plus Timothy Taylor’s Landlord.

The Greyhound, which has 4-stars on TripAdvisor and is noted for good food, put on a fine buffet for the presentation.

Landlady Sam, who previously worked at the Volunteer Arms in York, told the Press: “It’s a fantastic village that we have picked. It’s down to the customers.”

Sam and her husband took over the Heineken pub during the pandemic.

She continued: “Everybody says we have turned it around. We have invested money in doing it up, and had the outside re-done.”

In addition, there are different nights such as folk singing, quiz nights, “everything to make it a community pub for everybody to use.”

(Image: pic supplied)

York Camra branch chairman Chris Tregellis said from the few hours his members had enjoyed to pub, it was no surprise members had voted it as Pub of the Season.

“The Greyhound has always been a super pub. Sam has kept it going as good as it has ever been. We had a great time.”

Earlier, branch members had visited other pubs in the area, meeting up in Selby before heading in a hired minibus to the Wheatsheaf in Burn. The busy pub is a Pub of the Year winner and members enjoyed ‘top notch’ beers from Roosters, Daleside, Jolly Sailer Brewery and others.

Next was the Red Lion in Hambleton where many members enjoyed the “very reasonably priced” Ossett Blonde.

Then, it was on to the Boot and Shoe , Barkston Ash, “which always serves a good pint of Tetley Cask,” Chris continued.

The penultimate pub was the Jolly Sailor in Cawood, where members enjoyed the Selby Blonde and Selby Stout, in addition to six ales from the pub’s own Jolly Sailor brewery, which also served tasty chip butties to the Camra members.

Next Friday, August 30, York Camra members will also gather at the Golden Ball at 7pm. The community-run pub at 2 Cromwell Road, is York Camra’s city pub of the season.

And next month, starting on Wednesday September 18 and running until Saturday September 21, York Camra will be staging its York Beer and Cider Festival 2024 in St Larnce Church.

For details and tickets, go to: https://yorkbeerfestival.camra.org.uk/