An Oswestry pub has been named the best craft beer pub or bar in the UK outside a city centre.

The Bailey Head received the accolade on Wednesday night at the annual conference of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) which was held in Liverpool.

The prestigious event was attended by hundreds of UK brewers who had gathered to celebrate the best of British beer.

And it was a momentous evening for the pub as at the same time as picking up the national prize their local Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) AMRA named as them as the Shrewsbury and West Shropshire Market Towns Pub of the year.

Duncan Borrowman, who is landlord with his wife Grace Goodlad, said: “We are extremely proud to be named as the best Independent Craft Beer Pub or Bar in the UK. In the last four years we have collected several awards, but to be named as national champion is really special.

“We work closely with breweries up and down the UK, and to win their prize means so much to us."

Nik Antona, national chairman of CAMRA, commented: "Duncan and Grace took on this failing pub in 2016 and saved it for the community of Oswestry. Since then they have gone from strength to strength winning multiple local CAMRA awards as well as being named SIBA's best UK Rural Craft Beer Pub for 2020.

“This is a fantastic achievement and is a testament to the hard work and dedication that both Duncan and Grace have put in to turning the Bailey Head into a 'jewel in the crown' of the pub scene, of not just Oswestry but the whole of the Midlands.

"I congratulate them on this outstanding achievement."

Abigail Newton, national vice chairman of CAMRA, added: “As a female beer drinker it is was a delight to visit the Bailey Head.

"The owners Grace and Duncan were so welcoming as if I'd been a regular all my life. We talked a lot about beer, they clearly know a lot about it and how to keep it well.

"Their pub is a delight and an exquisite example of best of British pubs. I'm very much looking forward to my next visit.”

Despite their successes the couple are still looking to the future.

Grace said: “We are very proud of what we have achieved and grateful to our staff and the people of Oswestry for all their support, the challenge for us moving forward is to make sure we keep getting better, year-on-year."

As well as being named the top Market Town Pub by Shrewsbury and West Shropshire CAMRA, the Bailey Head was also runner-up in the overall Pub of the Year competition.

And there was further good news for Oswestry as Oswestry Cricket Club was named runner-up in the Club of the Year 2020.

The winners were selected by voting and judging from 291 real ale venues in the branch area.

The three overall winners will go on to compete against pubs across the UK for the CAMRA National Pub/Club of The Year title. Judging included quality of beer/cider, welcome, décor, support for CAMRA’s aims and involvement and support for the local community.