BV London Pub of the Year 2024-25 - the results

Go on then, let's have a winner, shall we?!?

It's been a close contest this year, particularly deciding which of the ten pubs make my top five and which will have to sit out next years competition to make way for plucky young upstart newcomers, but thems the breaks...

Indeed, last year's winner, the Star & Garter in Bromley has narrowly failed to make the final this year and I do feel a slight pang of sadness, but I'm sure they'll be back. (If you haven't read parts one and two, this won't mean a whole lot of jack shit, so check those out first!)

Right...

 

This year's 5th place goes to the Golden Ark, quite possibly the only reason you'll ever have to visit Selsdon! A great achievement for Maria, Matt and the team (but please, never order in Ginny's brand pork scratchings again - they are absolutely fucking inedible!)

My 4th favourite pub in the whole of Greater London this year is the Lyric in Soho, which has been pretty good for some years admittedly but only made its debut in the competition this time around. There is a lack of decent beer options in the West End, but this place stands apart, and I hope to God it never changes.

Narrowly squeaking into 3rd is POTY regular, the Southampton Arms in Gospel Oak. You have to love this place. It's not just the beer, but the cider, the meat, the piano, the vinyl, the general woodiness of it all. Even the having-to-sort-of-go-outside-for-a-piss thing doesn't detract; if anything it adds character! 

You win again!

This year's Runner-Up is probably the most seriously beer-oriented place in London for the hardcore enthusiast. It is the Cask Pub & Kitchen in Pimlico. 

All of which means that the 2024-25 Winner is, of course, the Hope in Carshalton! 

A much beloved community local, I could described the Hope as 'so much more than a pub', but that would downplay the fact that it really is a spectacularly excellent pub! The monthly beer festivals afford it legendary status - but go any time and you'll not be disappointed.

This is the fourth time it has won my Pub of the Year award, and, in the words of Queen, if I 'keep my self alive', it definitely won't be the last! 

These days 'that London' is often decried by outsiders as not being any good for drinking, but I strongly believe that the Hope and the other finalists go a long way to disproving this!  

Well done everyone, and carry on being awesome!