Kmflett's Blog

Beard Liberation Front

Media Release

30th September

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

York pub voted the most beard friendly in the UK outside London

The Beard Liberation Front has said that the vote for Beard Friendly Pub and Bar of the Year has seen the Maltings pub in York win the race for the most Beard Friendly Pub outside of London.

While the 2019 winner the Cock Tavern in Hackney regained the overall title after losing it to the Bumble Inn micropub in Peterborough in 2020, the Maltings was best placed for the rest of the UK.

The campaigners say that in the annual vote, simply due to population size, it is often the case that a London pub wins the overall title. For that reason a separate award is given to the best placed pub outside of London.

The on-line poll featured three rounds each consisting of four of the most beard friendly pubs. A final beard off vote featured the winner of each round and the highest placed second placed pub.

Because of the circumstances of 2021 with many pubs only able to full open in the last couple of months, the poll was largely focused on Beard Friendly Classic pubs with the addition of a few notable newcomers.

The Beard Friendly Pub of the Year is an annual feature usually held in January each year.

However in the extraordinary circumstances of 2021, the Beard Liberation Front decided to run a vote in September with most pubs now open post the easing of COVID restrictions

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, congratulations go to the Maltings in York, a pub known for many years for excellent beer and food and is now known as one of the most beard friendly too.

The criteria for the Award include:

A safe environment for all.

Beard Friendly Pub: a pub that welcomes the hirsute and often has a significant number of hirsute customers, including but certainly not confined to those with modern styles of beards.

Beard Friendly Ambience: a pub that may have fewer hirsute customers but is welcoming to the hirsute through some bearded bar staff and beard friendly beers, plus has a generally relaxed atmosphere for all.

The campaign group says it welcomes diversity in both appearance and drinking. The truly beard friendly pub will have a genuine mix of customers not just a load of old blokes grumbling about life.

Beard Friendly Pub of the Year Beard Off Final contenders

The Cock Tavern, Hackney

The Maltings, York

Lost & Grounded Taproom Bristol

Hackney Tap