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Campaigning for good beer in good pubs in north Lancashire and the Ingleborough area

CAMRA Lunesdale

Apple of our eye: local bar gets cider recognition

Regional Director Ray Jackson (left) presents the award to Gareth Ellis

A multi-award winning local bar has chalked up another honour by reaching the finals of a national cider contest. In a competition run by The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Lancaster University’s Graduate Bar beat other contenders to become the West Pennines Region champion, joining just three other venues in the finals.

Contending pubs are voted for by CAMRA members on the basis of the variety and consistent high quality of the ciders on offer and there is keen competition for the award.

At a ceremony held on the first evening of a real cider and perry festival the Gradbar’s manager Gareth Ellis received a framed certificate from CAMRA regional director Ray Jackson, who warmly congratulated everyone involved. “This award is a tribute to imagination, expertise and customer satisfaction when it comes to promoting this great drink,”he said.

Expressing his delight, Gareth said: “Reaching the final four in a prestigious national contest is fantastic.” He put success down to offering ciders and perries that were a bit different. “Cider drinkers tend to get offered the same couple of brands everywhere they go. We aim to provide an interesting selection unlikely to be found elsewhere in the area. We usually have four on the bar (three ciders and a perry) on a rotating basis."

As well as its yearly cider celebrations the Gradbar stages hugely popular real ale festivals that attract visitors from all over the north west. And the bar has been listed in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide for an impressive eleven years in a row.