The quaint county pub nestled in an inner Leeds suburb has been crowned one of the best pubs in the Great British Pub Awards.
The family-run pub, which is famed for its homemade Sunday roasts and unrivalled small plates and bar bites, has come up trumps in the annual competition.
And it's no surprise that the Myrtle Tavern, in Meanwood, was crowned the winner of the Stonegate Group Pub Partners’ Pub of the Year category in The Great British Pub Awards 2021, as it's already hugely popular in Leeds.
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On TripAdvisor, the pub is rated among the top 10 places to eat in the city, and has received hundreds of rave reviews from customers who are eager to return to the venue time and time again.
Since taking on the Myrtle Tavern in 2011, business partners Scott Westlake and Rob Vallance have aimed to put the pub back at the heart of the community.
Following a £92,000 investment in 2017, the pub has gone from strength to strength, becoming a hub for charity events and community initiatives.
During the difficult times of the Covid pandemic, the pub stepped up its community focus.
It offered a befriending service to regulars who may have become isolated by lockdown.
The team hosted live quizzes, helped the community by dropping off parcels and delivered Sunday lunches to customer’s doorsteps.
Giving to the community also meant the community were only too willing to support the pub in its time of need, with crowdfunding efforts helping the pub to survive.
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Although closed for the majority of last year, the team have been able to recruit, and their family of staff has grown to over 30 members.
Earlier this year it also transformed its ourdoor space into a "secret garden", which led to the pub being inundated with thousands of bookings.
Scott said: "It has been a challenging time for the hospitality industry, and for us here at the Myrtle. We have faced many obstacles, but it’s taught us just how important a pub can be for the local community.
"We are honoured to have won and I would like to dedicate this award to my team and our loyal customers for all their support. I look forward to what is to come for the Myrtle Tavern this year and beyond.”
The Great British Pub Awards recognise, reward and celebrate the fantastic work pubs do for our country and their communities.
With hundreds of entries across ten categories, the winners were announced during a live stream hosted by Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, watched by hundreds of people up and down the country.
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