CHURCHILL ARMS REVEALED AS LONDON’S BEST-LOVED LOCAL

With the odds stacked against it – the credit crunch, financial crisis and increasing pub closures – one pub has come out fighting in true Churchillian style. Stella Artois is delighted to announce that The Churchill Arms on Kensington Church St has pipped over 400 pubs to be crowned London’s ‘Best-loved Local’.

For the last three months, Stella Artois’ LOVE YOUR LOCAL campaign has been recognising and looking to reward local pubs that have been active in, and part of their immediate communities. Over 5,000 Londoners have voted for their favourite local: now London’s communities have hailed The Churchill Arms as London’s best-loved pub – winner of an £8,500 bursary to improve the community environment.

Three runners up – The Nightingale in Balham, the George Tavern in Stepney and the Punch Tavern in Fleet St – also each win a £5,000 bursary.

Spearheaded by Hollywood actor and pub landlord, Jason Flemyng, ‘Love Your Local’ is a community awards initiative which celebrates the positive role that pubs play in their local communities and bringing the community together. It has campaigned for the revival of the pub and the way in which the pub can promote a responsible drinking environment.

Winning publican Gerry O’Brien said: "I feel out of this world. To know how much our regular customers care means so much to me. This competition was all about them, that is the greatest thing of all. It is a glorious feeling for all of us here as it is not a one man show at this pub.

"With so many people in London, to have a close knit feeling in a big city is a special feeling and I think people need to be recognised and part of a community."

One of the judges of the Love Your Local campaign, esteemed food and drink critic Charles Campion said, “The local pub should be the heart of any community and it was great to see so many pubs working so hard and achieving so much”.

Another judge, Managing Editor of The Publican, Daniel Pearce comments, “However good a pub is, it’s what the customers think of it that really matters – and it was so inspiring to find so many customers voting for their own locals in this competition.

“We came up with a worthy winner, but every pub on the shortlist was one which had truly inspired the love of its locals with a combination of great drink, food and service. Congratulations to all the pubs involved.”