Two Westbury pubs get thumbs up from the Good Beer Guide 2023

TWO Westbury pubs have been voted into this year’s 50th edition of the Good Beer Guide.

The Horse and Groom in Alfred Street and The Angel in Church Street are named in the guide, published by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) – the UK’s definitive guide to pubs that serve top quality real ale, with entries chosen by CAMRA volunteers.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be in this year’s guide again; I think this is our sixth or seventh year,” said Bob Musker, landlord at the Horse and Groom. “There must be something good about our beer!

“We’re a traditional pub and we’re always pleased to be recognised. Myself and Terry have over 100 years of looking after real ale – I capped my first barrel when I was seven! – and we go back to the days when there was only bitter and mild, there was no lager!

“The trick is looking after your beer and looking after your customers.

“We have Doom Bar as our standard draft bitter and have other guest beers alongside it.

“At the moment we have Veteran which is only brewed for Remembrance in November from our very own Twisted Brewery here in Westbury; we’ve got that on draft at the moment and bring in different beers at different times.

“If you want a good pint, head for the Horse & Groom!”

At the Angel, landlord Matt Dean said, “I feel that The Angel’s entry into the Good Beer Guide for the third consecutive year reflects the hard work we put in to make sure we serve good beer and the support we get from local breweries like Twisted here in Westbury.

“This is my fourth year here now and I’m proud to have been voted in each year I’ve been here.

“We’re committed to serving great beer from local breweries and we’d like to thank all our customers for their ongoing support because these are still very difficult times in the hospitality industry.”

CAMRA National chair Nik Antona says, “For nearly five decades, the Good Beer Guide has been a comprehensive guide to the UK’s breweries, their ales, and the best outlets to find them in across the country.

“The Good Beer Guide has always had an important role in acting as a barometer of the beer and pub industry. We believe information gleaned from the guide is absolutely vital in the drive to save our pubs from closure and campaign for policies that better support pubs, local brewers and their customers.

“Whilst we experienced a boom in the brewing industry over recent years, it’s clear that the effects of Covid-19 and subsequent cost of living and cost of goods crisis has been keenly felt. I’d encourage everyone to use this guide to seek out the very best examples of pub excellence and support these locals by visiting them.”