Beard Liberation Front
Media Release
14th January
Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266
South London Micropub the Shirker’s Rest voted Beard Friendly Pub of the Year
The Beard Liberation Front has said that the final vote for Beard Friendly Bar, Pub and Tap of the Year has closed with a South London Micropub the Shirker’s Rest shaving the Cock Tavern in Hackney to win the annual accolade.
The on-line poll run over two days saw the Shirker’s Rest get 36% of just under a 1,000 votes with the Cock Tavern in Hackney on 33%. The out of London winner was Tom’s Tap Brew in Crewe which got 25% of the votes.
The on-line poll featured two rounds each consisting of four of the most beard friendly pubs. Four were from London and four from elsewhere in the country. A final poll for the overall winner was then held
Tom’s Tap and Brew won the Outside of London vote with the Evening Star in Brighton second
The Shirkers Rest won the London vote with perennial Beard Friendly favourite, the Cock Tavern E8 second
The aim of the vote is to promote pubs that are friendly and welcoming to all, and also sell good beer
The Beard Friendly Pub of the Year is an annual feature in January each year, although the pandemic years have disrupted the process.
The last full vote in January 2020 saw the decisive winner in the Beard Friendly Pub of the Year as the Bumble Inn micropub in Peterborough. The runner up was the Cock Tavern in Hackney
BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, thanks to all those who took part. It’s just a bit of fun at a tough period of year for everyone. We hope it encourages people to stop by the local and to see that pubs can be welcoming for all and a hub of community life in hard times.
The criteria for the Award include:
A safe environment for all.
Beard Friendly Pub: a pub that welcomes the hirsute and often has a 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 2023
London
Cock Tavern, Hackney
Pembury, Hackney
Shirkers Rest, New Cross
Redemption Tap Room, Tottenham
Outside London
Bundobust, Manchester
Evening Star, Brighton
Stoneworks, Peterborough
Tom’s Tap & Brew, Crewe
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