CHESHIRE'S pub of the year, that is not a bad accolade to have, is it?

Not once, not twice, but it's now three times the Church Inn in Mobberley can now boast the title through the National Pub and Bar Awards 2021 chosen by the Pub and Bar Magazine.

And what a turnaround as well. After its closure in 2013, a little shy of a decade later the Church Lane pub has triumphed in Cheshire for the third successive year.

Owner of the pub, Tim Bird, is especially pleased with his team and has hailed them all as heroes.

“It is another exceptionally proud moment for the team and for Mary and I, as the owners," he said.

“This award comes on the back of our ‘Michelin Plate’ in 2021 and our entry into the Good Beer Guide for the second year running. So a ‘treble’ for the team, who have worked so hard to come through three lockdowns, totalling 34 weeks.

“They deserve this award, they have worked so hard despite the restrictions and the closures. They are all heroes.

“Cheshire is our home county and to win the county award has to be most pleasing. I am sure all our loyal customers will be delighted.

Tim believes maintaining their standards over time has helped them continue to succeed.

“I think consistency is key over a long period of time,” Tim, who helped the pub to win the ‘Best Pub in the UK’ in 2019, continued.

“A hard-working kitchen team, who cook with great skill and intensity, working in unison with a friendly and passionate front of house team, all lead, by manager Siobhan.

“There are many excellent pubs in Cheshire. It is always a true honour to be chosen as ‘the best’. It is a reflection on our team, more than anything."