Gloucestershire pub at threat of closure turns itself around to win award

The Carpenters Arms has won Gloucestershire cider pub of the year. Credit: Sammy McKie

A pub at threat of closure before lockdown has won CAMRA's "Gloucestershire cider pub of the year" award.

The Carpenters Arms in Westrip, Stroud, faced being delicensed before Sammy McKie took over the reins in 2019.

Now, despite spiralling energy bills, the inn is "going great guns", she said.

"We came along and bought the pub in 2019, then we had Covid nearly straight away which was quite stressful.

"But we are going great guns and people seem to be loving it. We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"We spend so much just to pay the electricity bill at the moment and we are just keeping our head above the water. We have turned it around despite Covid and the cost-of-living crisis."

Sammy McKie took over the pub in 2019 Credit: Sammy McKie

After the traditional Randwick Wap spring fair today (Saturday 13 May) the "Carps" will host its own cider festival from 5pm.

"We use lots of local producers and so we'll have 50 varieties of cider here, like Day's Cottage Cider, Orchard Revival.

"We have Ruskin's Red Poll beef cattle at the back of the pub - you can't get any more local than that," Sammy said.