The winners of the British Pub of the Year 2026 have revealed how they've transformed an unloved shop space into the nation's favourite boozer in just over eight years - and why they'll never screen Premier League games.
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they → reveal → games
George and Louise Greenway, who run The Tamworth Tap, bagged the biggest prize at the 'pub Oscars' in a ceremony in Leeds on Wednesday evening, as well as walking away with the title of Britain's 'Best Beer Pub'.
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who → run → Pub
Located in a 16th-century Tudor building in the heart of the historic market town of Tamworth, the pub poured its first pint in 2017, after the husband-and-wife team spotted the potential of an empty retail space, which had previously housed Tamworth's information centre.
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which → locate → centre
The awards' judges raved about the independently-run boozer's 'excellent beer quality', including 12 cask ales and 20 keg lines, but were also impressed with how the pub engaged with the community, including hosting a weekly church group, Faith on Tap, who come in to discuss religion over a drink.
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who → rave → drink
Landlady Mrs Greenway is also a primary schoolteacher, juggling pub life with the classroom.
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Greenway → juggle → classroom
Meanwhile her husband focuses on the brewing side, which is housed in the property next door to the pub.
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which → focus → pub
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Greenway, 58, says the couple decided early on to kick some very established British pub traditions to the kerb - and lean into new trends.
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couple → speak → trends
Husband-and-wife team George and Louise Greenway who won the biggest prize in the pub industry this week, after being named British Pub of the Year 2026
The Tamworth Tap is in a converted shop on Market Street in the historic town of Tamworth and has won a multitude of awards since opening its doors in 2017
He says: 'There's no jukebox, there's no fruit machine and there's no Sky Sports; they're things that we avoid because it's just not our model.
'
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it → win → that
We're getting something right to get the recognition, the footfall and the patronage so we'll carry on doing it our way.
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we → get → it
The music is carefully curated - 'nothing too highbrow or offensive', the bar snacks lovingly home-made, with scotch eggs and sausage rolls made using local Packington Free Range pork, and the crisp selection extensive.
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selection → curate → pork
'We've got every crisp you can think of, from retro, such as Monster Munch, to locally made packets and jars of flavoured peanuts.
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you → get → peanuts
What are his customers drinking?
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customers → drink → What
'We sell 400 to 500 pints a week of Bathams Beer, which is a Black Country beer that sells at £5-a-pint.
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that → sell → 5
'We have a lot of younger drinkers who come in for the craft beers, they're trying all these hazy American pales.'
Sour beer, he says, is the next 'big thing' with twentysomethings.
'
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he → have → twentysomethings
They use a different yeast in there, it's deliberately fermented to be quite sour, like a Belgian beer.
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it → use → beer
There's a strawberry cheesecake sour beer and an apricot one plus we also sell an Imperial Stout that's 10%, which we only dispense in thirds or half pints.
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we → be → thirds
The curios-filled interior doesn't appeal to everyone admits Mr Greenway but he says: 'We're getting something right so we'll carry on doing it our way.'
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we → fill → it
The cosy pub in the historic market town of Tamworth offers an alternative Sunday Lunch, serving street food - and has a diverse range of regulars from older customers to trendy young things
He says painstaking 'attention to detail' has helped establish the pub as a firm favourite with both locals and drinkers from further afield.
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attention → offer → locals
'We don't sit still, the pub is constantly evolving from our processes to our appearance, music, products or knowledge.
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pub → sit → appearance
It was an empty shop eight years ago but you would think it had been a pub for 100 years.
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it → think → years
Staff are paid significantly more than the minimum wage and training takes a 'grain to glass' approach with everyone from students to pub careerists going through the same learning process.
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training → pay → process
His cleaners are, he says, 'fantastic', with the smell of stale beer never a problem because hygiene standards are so high.
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standards → say → beer
'It's important that our customers are confident that the same attention that goes into our carpet goes into the cellar, and into the line clean, and into the glass hygiene.
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that → go → hygiene
Regulars are a diverse bunch, the landlord says: 'It's so broadly spread now.
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We could have groups of 19, 20-year-olds, or single females coming in to read a book and have a glass of wine, or a pint of beer.
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groups → have → beer
'We've got retired gents and we even had an older couple who used to meet in the window, holding hands.
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who → get → hands
The lady lived in a local nursing home, and they used to come here just to reminisce a little, sitting holding hands.
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they → live → hands
Another regular, Muriel, arrives on her mobility scooter, and has Chardonnay in a Belgian glass.
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regular → arrive → glass
Everybody's got their quirks.
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George and Louise Greenway pictured after scooping British Pub of the Year 2026 on Tuesday.
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Greenway → picture → Tuesday
Right: The pub's exterior
The Tamworth Tap was awarded overall top spot at the 27th edition of awards, having previously been named CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
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Tap → award → 2022
Head judge Ed Bedington, editor at the Morning Advertiser and host of Lock In Podcast, said: ‘The Tamworth Tap showcases excellent beer quality, with the Tamworth Stout proving particularly impressive during our visit.
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Stout → say → visit
Not only that, but the team there has a clear focus on building the pub’s reputation through local causes, industry campaigns and award-winning credentials.
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team → have → causes
Held in Leeds on September 23, this year's competition saw more than 90 entrants compete for victory across categories that ranged from Best Country Pub and Best Pub Garden, alongside the nation's ultimate venues for sport and food.
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that → hold → sport
The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman's Rest in Slaggyford, Northumberland, was the only pub from the North of England to make the prestigious list.
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Northamptonshire's The Red Lion took home the title of Best Country Pub, while Warrington's The Maltings was ranked the best pub for dogs.
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Maltings → take → dogs
North of the Border, Perth's Old Ship Inn took home the title of Greene King Pub of the Year, while the south-east of England vastly dominated the remainder of the winners list.
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east → take → list
Not a single boozer in London, however, appeared in the list of winners at this year's competition.
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boozer → appear → competition
The Plough in Cheltenham took home the spot of Britain's most family-friendly boozer at the prestigious competition held in Leeds on September 23
In Norfolk, the Black Swan Public House and Theatre was ranked the best spot for entertainment, while the Plough in Cheltenham was unveiled as the nation's most family-friendly public house.
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Plough → take → house
In the south of England, Aylesbury's The Honey Bee was ranked Marston's Pub of the Year and Wiltshire's Rattlebone Inn in Sherston was crowned Punch Pubs & Co Pub of the Year.
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Inn → rank → Year
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
