A LAKE District pub has been named as the Cumbrian winner of the county heats in the annual National Pub & Bar Awards.

The accolade was given to The Flying Pig, Bowness, which joins 93 other locations across the UK after being named best venues in their respective counties.

The awards, now in their fourth year, showcase how diverse and creative the UK’s hospitality is and celebrates the finest pubs and bars in the on-trade businesses from every corner of the UK.

The county winners will now be whittled down to 15 regional venues based on a scoring system across categories including service, food and drink offering, décor and cleanliness.

The pubs, which have been selected on overall best practice across a number of operational categories, will be presented with their awards at a red-carpet celebration at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, in London, on Wednesday May 22, by esteemed restaurant critic Jay Rayner.

Jay Rayner, who will also announce the 15 regional winners on the night, selected from among the 94 county winners, he will also reveal which pub or bar has won the coveted title of National Pub & Bar of the Year 2019.

“Selecting this year’s 94 county winners has been nothing short of inspiring,” says Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, which hosts the event. “From idyllic countryside pubs to inner city cocktail bars, this is the most eclectic and exciting industry in the world. It’s a privilege to help these businesses get the recognition they deserve.”

Colin Monk and Alex Mauro, the directors of High Spirits Leisure Group, which owns and runs The Flying Pig, said: "We are thrilled that we've made the cut! The whole team has worked extremely hard to achieve the success we've had so far.

"Without their amazing personalities, fantastic work ethic and just being good at what they do business wouldn't be what it is today. As a company we have real ambition to be the best in the business, we currently operate four high quality venues and are in the process of adding a further two to our stable.

"Accolades like this recognise the quality of what we deliver to our customers and firmly demonstrate our ambition. We're keeping everything crossed that we make it through to the next stage, which could see us winning the title of Best Pub & Bar in the North West of England.”