Two South Hams pubs have been included for the first time in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide.

The new edition is the 50^th and has gone from listing around 1,500 pubs to 4,500 today.

To be listed in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide is a fantastic achievement for a pub. The Guide is based entirely on personal recommendations made by local CAMRA members, which are rigorously reviewed by branches and editors.

Recommendations consider beer quality as well as the history and architecture of a pub and various aspects such as food, gardens, family and disabled facilities and special events. CAMRA does not take any fees for listings to ensure the guide remains independent and unbiased

The Imperial Inn at Ivybridge is “run by new licensees, Anna and Craig who took over the pub in October 2020 and offer a warm welcoming pub that was tastefully refurbished recently. The Dartmoor Jail Ale and St Austell Tribute are the regular ales with one locally sourced guest ale complemented with a popular and varied food menu (no food Monday to Wednesday). No wheel chair access to the beer garden.”

The New Lion Brewery Taproom & Bootleshop in Dartington is described thus:

“In 1926, after three quarters of a century of brewing,the Lion Brewery in the heart of Totnes ceased trading. At its peak, this successful brewery owned 26 pubs and employed many locals. People far and wide celebrated its famous porter and its “celebrated Totnes Stout.” Now, a passionate group of Totnesians have brought that history back to life with the launch of the New Lion Brewery, a business that will once again craft award winning beers and help to boost the local economy. New Lion began creating trial brews in temporary quarters in the autumn of 2013. Over the winter, they built a new brewery from scratch on Station Road, slowly expanding capacity. They now have a state-of-the-art brewery that can produce 45 barrels a week in their new home at Webbers Yard, Dartington and now, since 2021, their taproom is located at Meadowbrook Community Centre, Dartington. In addition to three basic beers, they work with local businesses and community groups to create experimental and one-off beers like a pumpkin ale, a chilli beer, and a mushroom stout.”

CAMRA’s National Chairman Nik Antona said: “It is a huge achievement that we’re able to celebrate 50 years of publishing the Good Beer Guide, and a real testament to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, who undertake the assessments.

“What makes the Guide unique is that all the entries are compiled and vetted by a huge volunteer team based around the country. We work hard to ensure that all areas of the country are covered and, unlike some competitor titles, inclusion in this book is dependent on merit – not on payment.

“The last few years have been an incredibly difficult time for the industry, and we need more support than ever before to keep our nation’s pubs open and thriving. I’d encourage everyone to use this year’s Guide to visit the very best pubs across the UK and support them for generations to come.”

Three other pubs within easy driving distance of the South Hams which have also been newly added to the guide are the London Inn at Plympton, the Kings Arms at Buckfastleigh and the Dartmouth Inn and Railway Brewhouse at Newton Abbot.