On Monday, the country’s best beer retailers were honoured at the Celebrate British beer Awards held at the House of Commons. Marks & Spencer and Majestic were among the winners, along with a host of top independent beer shops from across the UK. Cheltenham’s man in Westminster, Alex Chalk MP, was there to present the Regional Retailer of the Year Award, Midlands/East category, to Cheltenham’s very own ‘Favourite Beers’.
The All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, led by Graham Evans MP, partnered Off Licence News in hosting the awards. An elite panel of judges comprising some of the most respected names in the industry voted for the winners including ‘Off Licence’ magazine.
Martin Green, editor at Off Licence News, said: ‘Pubs do an excellent job, but the swathes of top-class beer shops are just as important in furthering the image of our national drink. These awards highlight the businesses dedicated to sourcing and selling interesting brews and supporting the UK’s vibrant brewing scene. The House of Commons is the perfect place to celebrate the huge contribution our hard-working retailers make to the UK’s thriving beer industry, which employs thousands of people and is a fantastic contributor to the economy, while also giving millions of people a lot of pleasure and maintaining Britain’s position as one of the world’s most important sources of truly great beer.’
Speaking after the event, Alex said, ‘I am delighted that Favourite Beers has been recognised for all their hard work. They truly deserved to win and it was a pleasure to present them with the Regional Retailer of the Year Award for the Midlands/East category. Pubs are a cornerstone of our community not only here in Cheltenham but across the country, and I am pleased that beer retailers are also getting the recognition they deserve for a job well done’.