Best pub in Scotland named by CAMRA

The Campaign for Real Ale has named a well-known pub in Musselburgh as one of the best in the UK, as the winner from the region of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Volunteer Arms - known as Staggs.

The Volunteer Arms - also known as Staggs - was praised by judges at CAMRA for its traditional decor, modern lounge, and varying selection real ales.

Beer and pub campaigning organisation CAMRA is compiling its annual Good Beer Guide, which rates pubs around the country and uses ratings from volunteers to determine the best bar in each region, narrowing them down until the best pub for beer in Britain is crowned.

Staggs, which is near Musselburgh Racecourse, won the regional prize for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and is among 16 other bars across the UK which will be narrowed down to a top four.

National Pub of the Year Co-ordinator Andrea Briers says: “It is a huge honour to be selected as one of the top 16 pubs in the country, as well as being featured in the Good Beer Guide.

“A great deal of time and effort goes into deciding which pub from each region should go forward into the next round.

“The competition really gets difficult now as these pubs will compete against one another to be named one of the top four in the country. Last year’s national winner, the Cricketers Arms in St Helens, enjoyed a huge boost in its popularity from visitors near and far, and all of the competing pubs will hope to secure national recognition from the competition.”

The final announcement of the National Pub of the Year winner will take place in early 2019.