Raise your glasses for the Oswestry Pub of the Year award winners

The Oswestry Pub Scene Awards have recently announced their annual awards which celebrates the town's pubs across a host of categories.

The awards were set up by Kieran Sperring, the founder of Oswestry Pub Scene, a popular Facebook/Instagram page which celebrates the current local pub scene and to reminisce about the town’s lost pubs.

The Oswestry Pub Scene Awards are voted by the general public with each category receiving more than 500 votes this year - ranging from Best Food to Best Pub for Watching Sport.

The overall winner this year was The Bailey Head which won the Best Pub award as well as the Friendliest Staff and Best Atmosphere awards while The Oak also celebrated two accolades, the Best Landlord/Landlady and Best Beer Garden.

The Fox Inn was recognised as the Best Live Music Venue while the Best Pub to Watch Sport prize was won by The Black Lion.

The Knock & Snitch tasted success as the Best Cocktail/Wine Bar while The Griffin Inn was named Best Sunday Roast winner and the Townhouse was voted as Best Food winner.

Best Pub, Friendliest Staff and Best Atmosphere award winners - The Bailey Head

Grace and Duncan from The Bailey Head said: "It's lovely to get local awards like this. What makes a pub work is not just a great selection of excellent beer, cocktails, gins and drinks, but the community in it and the people behind the bar.

"We are so delighted our staff have been recognised in particular as Hospitality work often involves antisocial hours and can be exhausting, they are a great team and really deserve this.

"We are so proud of the pub and winning these three awards is a huge honour and we are very grateful to the people of Oswestry who voted for us.

"We would like to thank everyone who voted for us and also Kieran for organising the awards. We would also like to offer thanks to all the people who have supported us since we moved here.

"Oswestry is a wonderful place to make a home and we are humbled by how much support and friendship we have found here."

Best Landlord/Landlady and Best Beer Garden award winners - The Oak

James and Lexi from The Oak said: "We are so pleased to hear we have been awarded with the 'Best Landlord/Landlady' and 'Best Beer Garden' awards.

"We have run The Oak for around 10 years now and have loved every minute thanks to our fantastic customers and staff.

"We are thrilled to know that our efforts renovating our beer garden during the first lockdown are appreciated - we are very proud of our little sun trap and love seeing it bustling in the summer months.

"Thank you to everyone who voted for us."

Best Sunday Roast award winners - The Griffin Inn

Gary and Carol from The Griffin Inn said: "We are delighted to receive this award from our customers recognising the staff for all their hard work through these difficult times.

"We try to buy all our stock from local suppliers, who give a fantastic service and excellent quality produce."

Best Pub to Watch Sport award winners - The Black Lion

Terry from The Black Lion said: "Thank you to all our customers for voting for us as the 'Best Pub to Watch Sport' award it really is appreciated.

"We look forward to seeing old and new customers in the new year."

Best Food award winners - The Townhouse

Ollie from Townhouse said: "We’re really happy to receive best food, we pride ourselves on providing Oswestry with great food.

"It shows people appreciate the hard work that goes into creating fresh menus using locally sourced ingredients."

Best Wine/Cocktail Bar award winners - Knock & Snitch

Graeme from Knock & Snitch said: "We really appreciate the fact people voted for us. It's lovely to be recognised locally for the hard work the team and me have put in since opening the doors so thank you all.

"A big thanks to Kieran at Oswestry Pub Scene too, this is a really good new initiative to celebrate local hospitality businesses and we look forward to seeing it grow next year."

Best Live Music Venue award winners - The Fox Inn

Mandy from The Fox Inn said: "We always pride ourselves being a place for people to enjoy great live music, so it's fantasic to hear we have won the 'Best Live Music Venue' award, thank you for voting for us."