High Newton pub makes highest climb on UK's best gastropubs list

High Newton's Heft, owned by Nicola and Kevin Tickle, earned its spot on the 2024 Estrella Damm list of the UK's top 50 Gastropubs for the third consecutive year, jumping over 30 places from 42nd place in 2023 to number 11 this year.

The annual list, now in its 16th year, is a vote by more than 400 owners, food critics, and other industry experts, ensuring that people in the industry itself determines the rankings.

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The UK's other top pub chefs discovered their standings at a live reveal held at Lancashire's Parker's Arms, the winner of the 2023 award, on Monday afternoon (January 22).

Mr Tickle, who is Heft's head chef as well as one of its co-owners, said: "Being in the top 50 means a lot to anyone that makes the list.

"At Heft all we’ve ever done is try to make sure that we achieve a good balance between being a village pub with a really relaxed atmosphere, serving good beer, excellent wines and tasty snacks, alongside running a fine dining restaurant.

"It’s been a fairly interesting couple of years to open a pub and restaurant, but we’re getting to where we want to be, and this award recognises the hard work put in by us and by our amazing team."

The editor of the Morning Advertiser, Ed Bedington, who is also the founder of the awards and list, said: "Pubs are a beloved institution and part of the UK’s culture and this list of the most astounding and impressive food pubs in the country is wonderful to see."

"Pubs serve so many roles to so many people and for operators like the ones on our list, to be able to offer amazing food and wonderful experiences, up there with some of the best in fine dining, is brilliant to see."

The Unruly Pig in Woodbridge, Sussex topped the list.

The full list can be viewed here: https://www.top50gastropubs.com.