The Dudley & South Staffordshire CAMRA branch is delighted to share two important awards...

Pub Of The Year award

A Brierley Hill pub has received an award from the Dudley and South Staffordshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.

Chairman John Corser presented the 2025 branch pub of the year award to Tom Comyns, the landlord of the Vine Inn in Delph Road.

The award is based on scores for branch pub beers over the course of a year and the assessment of judges in a final round of judging of the finalists.

The Batham's pub, known locally as the Bull and Bladder got high marks for standard of service and community involvement.

Runner-up in the 2026 competition was the Beacon Hotel in Bilston Street, Sedgley, which won the 2024 award, with the Bird in Hand, Wordsley - also a former winner - in third place.

Mr Comyns, manager for seven-and-a-half years said the pub's success was down to his excellent team behind the bar and his regulars.

The Bull and Bladder is next to the Batham's Brewery and offers hot and cold food Monday to Friday from 12 noon to 2pm.

The lounge bar was originally a butcher's shop before it became a pub in 1835. The Vine was bought by Batham's in 1905 and it was rebuilt in 1912 when the tower brewery was also constructed.

It was previously branch pub of the year in 2016.

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Rural/South Staffordshire Pub Of The Year award

A Kinver pub has won an award from the Dudley and South Staffordshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale for the second year in a row.

Branch chairman John Corser presented the 2025 rural/South Staffordshire pub of the year award to Cross Inn licensee Andy Clark.

The Black Country Ales pub in Church Hill qualified for the Staffordshire round of CAMRA's national pub of the year judging as a result of the win.

The Cross, which has 10 handpulls, was also previously South Staffordshire winner in 2019.

The pub, which dates back to the 1800s, was extended in 2023 after being bought by BCA in 2011.

Andy, who was delighted to win the award again, urged people to continue supporting real ale and encouraged regulars to join CAMRA.