CAMRA’s North London Branch has been running its Pub of the Year Competition since 1993. The Branch is now in its 50th year and so they thought it would be great to celebrate pubs by running a Pub of Pubs’ Competition. This featured all the pubs that have won the Pub of the Year over the thirty years the Competition has run. CAMRA members voted and awarded The Antwerp Arms third place.

Antwerp Arms - Pub of Pubs 2023 - Colin Coyne and Antwerp staff

Branch Chairman, Colin Coyne, said,” This award is a celebration of great pubs, all of whom believe they are there to support their community. But in these times with soaring bills and continuing shortages of staff, even the best pubs are up against it. We need to support our pubs more than ever and we hope this Award goes a little way to do so by promoting some of the best pubs in London”

Colin added “It’s pleasing that fourteen of sixteen pubs, who won a Pub of the Year Award, are still in existence and selling cask beer. The Antwerp was threatened with demolition in 2013, and was only saved thanks to a concerted campaign by locals, supported by CAMRA, to save it. The Antwerp made its first entry into CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide in 2018 and has been a regular ever since”.

Colin added, “This competition is a reflection of great community pubs so it seems very appropriate that the Antwerp has taken third place. It’s been serving local people since 1822 and long may it continue. The first and second places in the competition went to two pubs in Kentish Town: The Pineapple and the Southampton Arms. Like the Antwerp, both of these pubs had been under threat of closure and both are well loved and supported by their community”.

Extra facts

• The local community and CAMRA campaigners came together in 2013 to prevent developers taking action. The Antwerp Arms Association was set up, raising funds through shares and a grant from the Social Investment Bank. This enabled the pub to be purchased two years later. It’s a great example of local people taking ownership of and doing something to keep what they value. The Antwerp Arms is the only community owned pub in North London.
  
  
• The pub is run by the Antwerp Arms Association, which has just over 400 Shareholders who elect a small Management Committee at the AGM every September. There is a full time manager and part time staff to run the operational side of the business but volunteers help with community work, maintenance, and gardening.
  
  
• 16 pubs have won CAMRA North London’s much sought after Pub of the Year Award. Sadly, we have lost two: Bree Louise near Euston, thanks to HS2 and the Oakdale Tavern, which fell to the developer's wrecking ball in 2011, despite a campaign by local residents and CAMRA to save this well-loved community pub.
  
  
• The Pineapple was the winner and it’s full address is 51 Leverton Street, NW5 2NX; opening times 12.00-11 Mon-Sat; 12-10.30pm Sun. Nearest station is Kentish Town
  
  
• The Southampton Arms, which placed second, is at 139 Highgate Road, NW5 1LE; 07958 780073; website: www.thesouthamptonarms.co.uk
  
  
• The other pubs were:
  
  
  • Calthorpe Arms WC1
    
    
  • Doric Arch NW1
    
    
  • Duke of Hamilton NW3
    
    
  • The Flask - Hampstead NW3
    
    
  • Junction Tavern NW5
    
    
  • Mabel's Tavern WC1
    
    
  • Marquess Tavern N1
    
    
  • Queen's Head WC1
    
    
  • Snooty Fox N5
    
    
  • Tapping the Admiral NW1
    
    
  • Wenlock Arms N1
    
    
• CAMRA is the Campaign for Real Ale and is a volunteer membership organisation with over 200 volunteer branches across the UK and over 150,000 members.
  
  
• CAMRA nationally was formed in 1971. It exists to promote good beer, protect pubs and defend consumer rights.
  
  
• The North London branch of CAMRA covers most of the North London postcodes plus WC1 and parts of WC2, and has almost 700 pubs in it.