An historic pub managed by Bristol craft brewery Butcombe has been named as the best in the UK in a major industry awards scheme.
The George Inn at the village of Norton St Philip, near Bath, landed the prestigious Pub of the Year title at the National Pub & Bar Awards, which were staged in London last week. 
The awards recognise excellence in the hospitality industry, taking into consideration customer service, design, style of offer, marketing and investment.
The George Inn, a 14th century Grade I listed Tudor inn, was acquired by Wrington-based Butcombe in 2020 as part of a package of 21 pubs from Wiltshire brewer Wadworth.
In May it became the first to be in the group’s portfolio to be included in its new Butcombe Boutique Inns (BBI) collection.
BBI aims to provide guests with what Butcombe calls a “unique, personalised and home-from-home stay in some of the most desirable locations in the UK”. 
Having recently undergone a full makeover and preservation, The George now has 13 bedrooms boasting beautiful decor and furnishings with many original features and antiques.
One of the UK’s oldest taverns, it was used as the headquarters of the Duke of Monmouth’s army during the 1685 rebellion against James II.
It later became a courtroom for Judge Jeffreys as part of the notorious Bloody Assizes following the failed rebellion, which led to 12 executions on Norton St Philip’s village green.
Success in the National Pub & Bar Award comes hot on the heels of The George Inn’s senior sous chef Aimie Harley being voted Pub Chef of the Year at the prestigious Salon Culinaire Awards. 
The George Inn general manager Linda Johnson, pictured with the Pub of the Year Award, said: “I’m so proud and so emotional. I’m just so passionate about my team, the company that supports us, and obviously The George Inn and what we’re all about.
“This really caps off what has been an amazing few months for The George Inn and all the team.”
Judges for the National Pub & Bar Awards said they were impressed with the immaculate venue, as well as the quality food and drink offer across all its menus.
Butcombe Pubs & Inns director of food Alice Bowyer added: “These guys really deserve it. It is the combination of the setting, the history of the building, the investment that we have put into the business and, most importantly, the team and family culture they’ve created there.”
Butcombe’s parent company, Channel Islands-based Liberation Group, said in May it expected 25 inns will eventually be part of the BBI collection.
The venues selected will be in some of the country’s most stunning locations, including The Castle Inn at Lulworth on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, and the High Corner Inn in the New Forest.
Butcombe, which was launched in 1978, had 19 pubs when it was acquired by Liberation in 2015. It has since made a raft of acquisitions to build a 137-strong portfolio of mainly pubs with bedrooms across the South and West of England.
Butcombe’s Bristol pubs include The Cottage Inn at Baltic Wharf, The Ostrich on Lower Guinea Street and The Whitmore Tap on Whiteladies Road, named after its founder and ex-courage director Simon Whitmore, who died in 2012.
Its range of beers include Original Bitter, Underfall Lager, Golden Ale and its award-winning alcohol-free Goram IPA Zero.
