An unique riverside pub on the edge of Oxford has been named the best in Oxfordshire.
It will now be added to the shortlist to be voted the best pub in the country.
The Victoria Arms in Old Marston has won Oxfordshire's Best Pub in the National Pub and Bar Awards.
Judges said the team "demonstrated excellence in design, service, food and drink and style of offer".
Oxford Preservation Trust bought The Victoria Arms and adjoining land in 1959 to save the nearly derelict building and protect the area from development.
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Fully renovated, the pub re-opened in summer 1986 and has become a firm favourite on the Oxford pub scene.
Posting on Instagram, OPT said: "Our pub’s a winner! Congratulations to Butcombe Brewery manager Alex Kecojevic and the entire team – best of luck at the national finals in June!"
Mr Kecojevic worked at the Turf Tavern for 11 years until he switched to The Victoria Arms in 2022.
He told the Oxford Mail: “I love it here.
“We get lots of people in who live in Marston and Summertown and you see different kinds of people throughout the day, including pensioners, dog walkers, parents and kids, kayakers, work parties, river walkers and Oxford University students.
“It’s very successful - there are customers coming in from morning until night."
The former ferryman's cottage on the banks of the River Cherwell dates back to the 17th century and once hosted a certain Oliver Cromwell.
It has a heated pergola terrace and huge beer gardens next to the river which are popular with tourists, sports clubs, students, canoeists and paddle boarders.
Kirsty Allsopp once filmed property show Location, Location, Location in the terrace and garden.
“The fact that we had record entries for the 2024 National Pub & Bar Awards tells us two things,” said Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, which runs the event.
“One is how highly the industry regards these accolades, which is fantastic.
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"But, also, it shows that more operators are in need of really positive and strong publicity to help drive business at the moment.
"Pubs and bars are facing some of the biggest challenges in recent history, so if the National Pub & Bar Awards can help by lifting sales across these venues, then we’re delighted to play our part.”
The Victoria Arms is one of 94 pubs and bars across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that have scooped a prestigious county winner title.
They will be officially crowned at a red carpet celebration in London in June.
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