Turks Head crowned CAMRA St Helens' 'Pub of the Year'

With a growing number of real ale boozers across the borough, local CAMRA members voted the Turks Head as the best pub for real ale for the second year in a row.

Following another closely fought contest, the the Cooper Street boozer beat 2022 winner the Beer EnGin in Whiston to second place, while the newly refurbished Lamb Inn in St Helens town centre came in third.

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The Lamb came in third place after its popular refurb (Image: St Helens CAMRA)
With CAMRA groups celebrating the best providers of real ale and cider in pubs across the country, the rest of the St Helens shortlist will receive a Pub of Excellence award.

This includes the former National CAMRA Pub of the Year, The Cricketers Arms, The Commercial Hotel and The Skew Bridge Alehouse in Rainhill, as well as The News Room and The Royal Alfred in St Helens town centre.

The BeerEngin in Whiston came in second place (Image: St Helens CAMRA)
With 700 members in the local CAMRA branch, the Beer EnGin has been crowned Cider Pub of the Year, narrowly beating the Turks Head, Cricketers Arms and the Skew Bridge Alehouse.

Haydock Reading Room also retained their crown as Club of the Year for a second year in a row.

The Church Road club went up against former winners Prescot Reform Club, Rainford Labour Club, Rainhill Recreation Club and West Park Rugby Club, who will all receive a Committed to Cask award for making the shortlist.

Haydock Reading Room won Club of the Year (Image: Haydock Reading Room)
The Turks Head - which is the only pub in St Helens to have an entry in every Good Beer Guide since the formation of St Helens and Districts CAMRA in 2008 - will now go forward to CAMRA's 'Merseyside Pub of the Year' awards.

The Beer EnGin and Haydock Reading Room will also be shortlisted in the Cider Pub of the Year and Club of the Year competitions respectively.

The Turks has been in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide every year since 2008 (Image: CAMRA)
Speaking about the award win, Turks Head landlord Daryl Arrowsmith said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve won [the award] again.

"The competition was really open this year with the resurgence of some great pubs in the area, we were really given a run for our money.

"I’m pleased for the staff as they work really hard to make the pub what it is, and they know their stuff when it comes to real ale.

“It’s also thanks to those CAMRA members who took the time to visit all the pubs and submit their scores to make it such a closely fought contest, but mostly to our regular customers who are what keep us going.”

The Cricketers Arms was highly commended (Image: St Helens CAMRA)
Ian Pye, Pubs Officer for St Helens and District CAMRA, added: "Huge congratulations to the Turks Head who members have scored the best pub in our area.

"A special mention also goes to the Beer EnGin for second place and The Lamb for third place. Both pubs were very close to the Turks Head on scores and all pubs in the competition scored highly.

“People often assume it’s a small group of people that get to make the decision in these competitions, but every one of our 700 members has the opportunity to participate at each stage of the branch awards and vote for the Pub of the Year. 

"I'm proud of all the pubs that were in the competition.

“We are exceptionally lucky to have great pubs in our branch that continue to raise the bar on the quality of real ale and general pub experience.

"You can be guaranteed a great pint in any of the eight shortlisted pubs who all strive to make sure their customers feel welcome and happy when they visit."