Oxfordshire is home to the UK’s best pubs, according to a new guide published today.
The 21st edition of The AA Pub Guide showcases 2,000 of the country’s best watering holes chosen for their atmosphere, food, accommodation and beer.
Of the shortlist, 550 have been singled out as ‘Pick of the Pubs’ – the crème de la crème of public houses selected by the AA’s expert inspectors, editorial team and readers.
Oxfordshire comes top with 33 pubs, with Devon coming in a close second with 32.
The cider-making heartland of Somerset comes in third place, with 26 establishments highlighted as excellent.
London postal districts and Yorkshire take joint fourth place, with 24 each.
Pubs featured in the guide include the Kirkstile Inn in Cockermouth, Cumbria. Located amongst woods, fells and lakes, the pub is described as having, “an authentic, traditional and well-looked after feel.”
In Burford, Oxfordshire, The Highway Inn's historic character "remains undiluted." This new addition to the list is a fifteenth-century building is characterised by nooks, crannies and packed with antiques.
The Shibden Mill Inn, located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, has also been singled out for praise, with the guide saying that it “attracts those who enjoy excellent food prepared by trusted local growers and suppliers.”
The guide features destination pubs, traditional boozers and new establishments around the UK.
It also includes a detailed guide with directions, dog and child-friendliness, facilities, such as parking or a garden, plus information about the tipples on offer in each pub.
New pubs in this guide include The Star Inn in Oxfordshire, The Bonnie Badger in East Lothian, Scotland, and The Perseverance in London’s Bloomsbury.
Over 250 of the pubs included in the book have also been awarded AA Rosettes for the quality of their cuisine, while establishments offering accommodation also have their AA star rating displayed.
The Pub Guide 2020: 2,000 pubs for great beer and good food is available for purchase from AA Publishing.
The UK’s best counties for pubs ('Pick of the Pubs')
1. Oxfordshire
2. Devon
3. Somerset
4. London postal districts and North Yorkshire
5. Cumbria and Gloucestershire
6. Hampshire
7. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
8. Kent and Norfolk
9. Suffolk and Wiltshire
10. Buckinghamshire and East Sussex
