Voting has now closed in the annual Campaign for Real Ale awards and we can reveal which pubs have come out on top this year.

Chairman of the local CAMRA group, Trevor Hayward explained: “We have around 120 members in our branch and they are all invited to vote for their nominated Pub of the Year. We then take all these nominations along with beer scores submitted throughout the year via the CAMRA Whatpub system to decide on the winners. Our Dumfries and Stewartry branch region is large, so we split the voting into three areas: Dumfriesshire, Dumfries Town and the Stewartry”.

The overall winner of the Dumfries and Stewartry Pub of the Year is:

Clachan Inn, in St John’s Town of Dalry, which also took the Stewartry area Pub award. The Clachan Inn is situated on the Southern Upland Way offering excellent food and beers, to both walkers and visitors in its welcoming traditional atmosphere.

The winner of the Dumfries and Stewartry Cider Pub of the Year, for the second year running, is:

Blue Bell Inn, in Annan, which also took the Dumfriesshire area Pub award. The Blue Bell Inn is a former coaching inn offering local beers and cider, holding annual beer and cider festivals.

The Clachan Inn and Blue Bell Inn now go forward to the regional heats to select Scottish winners to go into the national CAMRA pub of the year competitions.

Below is a full round up of who won what in the 2018 Pub of the Year Awards from the Dumfries and Stewartry branch of CAMRA.

PUB OF THE YEAR

Dumfriesshire Area Winner – Blue Bell Inn, Annan (see photos below)

Pictured below is sub-branch Secretary Phil Robinson presenting the Dumfriesshire Area Winner and Cider Pub of the Year Winner certificates to Charmaine Kerr and Michael Lindsay of The Blue Bell Inn at their cider day on 27th May. Photos provided by The Blue Bell Inn.

Dumfries Town Area Winner – Cavens Arms, Dumfries (see photos below)

Pictured below is sub-branch Chairman Trevor Hayward presenting the Dumfries Town Area Winner certificate to Sylvia Brennan and Gavin Green of Cavens Arms with some of the Cavens regulars looking on. Photos provided by Phil Robinson.

Stewartry Area Winner and Overall Regional Winner - Clachan Inn, St John’s Town of Dalry (see photos below)

Pictured below is sub-branch Chairman Trevor Hayward presenting the Overall Regional Winner and Stewartry Area Winner certificates to Phil Papworth and Laura Burnie of the Clachan Inn with some of the sub-branch members and friends who came along to join the the celebration. Photos provided by Phil Robinson.

OVERALL DUMFRIES AND STEWARTRY PUB OF THE YEAR WINNER:

CLACHAN INN, ST JOHN’S TOWN OF DALRY

OVERALL DUMFRIES AND STEWARTRY CIDER PUB OF THE YEAR WINNER:

BLUE BELL INN, ANNAN