Two pubs are to share the award for branch Pub of the Year 2026. The votes of local members resulted in a dead heat between the Hop Pole Craft Beer & Grill in Aylesbury and the Lions Of Bledlow in Bledlow.
Mike Clarke, branch chair said, "These two pubs showed the best of town and country. The Hop Pole is both a beer destination pub and a much-valued community local in Aylesbury. By contrast, the Lions of Bledlow is a true Chilterns country pub that also caters for hikers, cyclists and other visitors to our beautiful countryside. What they have in common is serving a wide range of well-kept real ales."
A visit to the Lions of Bledlow may give many visitors a sense of déjà vu. Its photogenic traditional pub ambience, complete with low beams, flagstoned floor and huge fireplace, has kept it in demand as a popular TV and film location, with several episodes of Midsomer Murders filmed at the pub.
The Lions maintains a selection of four or five real ales. Licensee Mark McKeown remarked that high demand over the recent Easter holidays had resulted in the pub selling two barrels of Wadworth 6X over the short bank holiday period.
Fortunately, no homicides were reported when branch chair Mike Clarke presented the joint winner's certificate to licensee Mark McKeown.
As an example of the Hop Pole's commitment to real ale, the joint winner's certificate was presented to licensee Ian Matthews at the start of the Hop Pole's traditional Easter beer festival. However, with the pub maintaining a range of up to ten real ales, some CAMRA members regard any trip to the Hop Pole as a beer festival in itself.
