A local tavern on the edge of Nottingham’s central district is marking an achievement after being selected as Nottingham CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year.
The Partizan Tavern, located in Sneinton, has already proven its worth to the assessors. Following its establishment in 2021, it garnered the same accolade for its cider and perry selections within under a year.
Annually, employees at establishments and supporters of cider put forward their recommendations. Campaign for Real Ale delegates visit premises to judge hopefuls against several standards, encompassing the quality and promotion of heritage ciders, cleanliness levels and the standard of service provided.
Tony Perkins, who formerly worked as an electrician, founded the business after losing his job during the coronavirus outbreak. He and his wife Alison devoted seven months to converting a former gambling shop on Manvers Street into the public house.
They expressed their gratitude, noting they were deeply thankful to Nottingham CAMRA for naming them Cider Pub of the Year. Achieving recognition for the fifth year running, including two championship titles, since opening their doors in 2021 was remarkable.
They emphasised their commitment to providing, through their canned and bottled range, a perpetual mini festival of cider and perry, enabling customers to taste not only local heritage ciders and perries but also offerings from far-flung producers, spanning both well-known names and emerging small-scale producers.
They declared how much they relish their yearly expeditions to find outstanding ciders for their regulars and appreciated the patrons who support this endeavour.
The venue recently hosted Sneinton Cider’s first gathering of nearby cider makers, with plans to stage the event again.
Nottingham CAMRA’s cider coordinator, Heather Stretton, remarked that the calibre of competition remained impressively strong as usual. She thanked all nominated establishments for their dedication to advancing traditional cider and perry in the area and offered congratulations to both the victor and the runner-up.
She noted the branch was blessed with several excellent cider destinations, and discovering perry on offer at the winning venues proved particularly positive, as such beverages are not always easy to locate.
The second position was awarded to Round RobINN on Main Street in East Leake. Both establishments have regularly featured in CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year rankings over recent years because of their cider and perry selections and their popularity as welcoming venues.
Tony and Alison will officially accept the prize at the micropub on Saturday, April 4 at 6pm. The Partizan Tavern will subsequently advance to the county-wide round, facing off against winners from other branches across the East Midlands.
The Wheatsheaf in Bingham also earned qualification. It secured both Vale of Belvoir CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year crown and the Pub of the Year prize.