Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Hull & East Yorkshire Branch NEWS RELEASE

The Whalebone in Hull is voted Cider Pub of the Year 2007

Issued 11th February 2008

The Whalebone Inn has been named winner of the Hull Cider Pub of the Year 2007 Award by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) – Hull & East Yorkshire Branch.

CAMRA members nominated three pubs for the award and then a panel of judges, made up of three regular cider drinkers, visited the pubs and carefully judged them against the following criteria: Cider Quality, Price and Promotion (was the product clearly promoted with posters, leaflets etc.) For the pub to be eligible for the competition the licensee had to be present since the 1st January 2007.

This is the first time that the Hull & East Yorkshire Branch of CAMRA has organised a Cider Pub of the Year competition and it will now become an annual event.

CAMRA promote real cider through an internal group called APPLE. David Litten, the local APPLE Representative said "The new branch Cider Pub of the Year Award will raise the awareness of draught real cider in the area, showing that it competes strongly against its high profile imitators. We hope that it will stimulate interest amongst other licensees and their customers.

The Whalebone Inn on Wincolmlee is owned and run by Alex & Tina Craig. Two real ciders are sold, Kingston Black and Old Rosie, and both are dispensed from handpumps.

The pub is described in the new 2008 CAMRA Good Beer Guide as: "Built in 1796 on the site of the old Lockwood's Brewery, the pub is situated in a former industrial area. The comfortable saloon bar is adorned with photos of bygone Hull pubs and the city's sporting heritage; CAMRA awards are also displayed."

Commenting on the Whalebone's success, David Litten said "The Whalebone is the worthy winner of our first branch Cider Pub of the Year competition, always serving two good value draught real ciders of consistent quality in a traditional pub environment."

The Hop & Vine on Albion Street in Hull, run by tenants Stewart Campbell & Janet Rowan, was runner up in the competition. It has two regularly changing ciders, and one of them is often a perry (pear cider).

Branch Chairman, Alan Canvess, presented the award winner and runner up with framed certificates on the evening of Saturday 9th February.

The other finalist in the competition was the Wellington Inn on Russell Street in Hull. It also sells at least two regularly changing real ciders.