Penrith’s Agricultural Hotel has been named the 2023 Eden Area Pub of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale.
Alan Welsh, Solway CAMRA chairman, said: “To be a CAMRA pub of the year, a pub must be excellent across a range of criteria. As a real ale group, the condition of the beer sold is of paramount importance. The beer sold has to be excellent.
“We also look at how well the pub is looked after, how clean it is, how good is the service and welcome, how well does the pub serve its community and does it actively support the aims and principles of CAMRA. The Agricultural does very well across all of these categories.”
Gary and Wendy Bowden have run the Agricultural since 2003. It was a Jennings-owned pub until March 2018 when, following a lot of work from the couple it became a free house. Since then the sale of real ales has increased significantly, many of them Cumbrian. The pub also boasts a 42-seater restaurant and has five en suite bedrooms.
Gary and Wendy are due to cease trading on Sunday, June 4, having decided after 20 years to end their lease.
An application is being made for the Aggie, which is owned by PFK, to become an asset of community value to try and secure its future as a popular pub. This would give a community group six months to make a bid to buy it.
