Nottinghamshire's best pubs: Discover the three Nottinghamshire pubs crowned as the best by CAMRA for 2025

Nottinghamshire’s best pubs have been crowned in the Nottingham branch of the CAMRA Pub of the Year competition, with three standouts in the Urban/City category.

Taking the top spot in the Urban/City category—and securing the title of overall county winner—was The Horse & Jockey in Stapleford.

A familiar name in the competition, this beloved pub has previously been a national CAMRA Pub of The Year finalist in both 2013 and 2022. Known for its impressive range of 13 well-kept real ales, many from local breweries, the pub continues to set the standard for excellent beer and hospitality.

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Paul Guilford, Manager of The Horse & Jockey, expressed his pride in securing the award for the fifth consecutive year: "All of us concerned with the Jockey work tirelessly to provide a great selection of ales and ciders, a welcoming atmosphere, and a keenness to provide a service people will enjoy and wish to visit us again."

Nottingham CAMRA branch chairman, Steve Westby, added: "It is no surprise that this lively free house is again a deserved winner of this competition. The award recognises the choice of 13 well-kept real ales, many of them from local breweries, served in a welcoming, friendly, comfortable atmosphere."

Claiming second place in the category was The Crown in Beeston. A well-loved establishment, The Crown continues to be a favourite among beer enthusiasts for its excellent selection of real ales and friendly atmosphere.

Rounding out the top three was Byron’s Rest on Baker Street in Hucknall. A micro pub with a dedicated following, Byron’s Rest has consistently earned recognition from CAMRA and was featured once again in last year’s CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

Landlord Richard Darrington expressed his pride in the achievement and his determination to one day take the top spot: "To still be in the top three in the county for us is pretty amazing, given that we're only a micro pub.

“We’ve not given up yet on one day being number one. I’m still very proud to be recognised like this and to keep the Hucknall flag flying. It’s all down to our customers—they’re fantastic people and they deserve this recognition."

The competition also included a Village category, where the winner and overall county runner-up was The Old Green Dragon in Oxton. The Round RobINN in East Leake took second place, with The Keyworth Tavern in Keyworth coming in third.

As Nottinghamshire’s pubs continue to uphold high standards of real ale and welcoming atmospheres, these CAMRA awards celebrate the best of the county’s thriving pub scene. 🍻