Double celebrations are in order at an east Suffolk pub which has been clocking up nominations for prestigious awards.
The Turks Head pub in Hasketon have been named the Best Pub in Suffolk at the National Pub & Bar Awards for the second year running.
The awards which are run by Pub and Bar Magazine were open to venues across the UK and looked to reward individual entrepreneurship, best practice in venues and retail excellence.
“This is fantastic news,” said Jemima Whithers licensee at the pub. “It’s the second year in a row which I wasn’t expecting. It seems to be unusual!”
The Turks Head will now go on to the national finals of the competition along with the 94 other county winners from all across the country.
The next target for the pub will be to beat off competition in the East of England region which also includes pubs in Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire.
The regional winners and overall national winner will be announced at a special awards evening at BAFTA in London on May 23.
And it’s not the only award that the pub could have it’s name to.
To add to the pub’s recent success their head chef Mauli Dwivedi is also one of the finalists for EAT’s Suffolk Chef of the Year alongside the Unruly Pig’s Dave Wall and Luke Cornelius from The Angel in Bury St Edmunds.
Ms Whithers said the pub’s success was all down to the team both fronting the house and behind the scenes.
“It’s the staff - the staff have done a terrific job over the last year,” Ms Whithers said.
To reward their hard work and national recognition the staff are planning to have a get together back at the pub to celebrate.
Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, said: “This positive, industry-boosting news comes at a time when closures of pubs and bars are too often focused on in the press.
“The sole purpose of the National Pub & Bar Awards is to tell as many people as possible about the incredible businesses that these county winners are running.
“With 94 triumphant pubs on the winners list, chances are that every person in the UK will have an award-winning pub near them. Get out there and see these places for yourselves.”
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