Best pubs in Cornwall on CAMRA Kernow list 2023: Falmouth number one

CAMRA Kernow, the Cornish branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, has announced its ‘pub of the year’ for 2023, as well as its two runners up.

Normally it would just name a winner, but as the scores were so close it was decided to announce the top three.

Coming in first place, as CAMRA Kernow Pub of the Year 2023, is The ‘Front in Falmouth.

The popular pub on Custom House Quay reopened 2021, after a huge outpouring of grief from customers when it closed the previous year due to the lockdown restrictions making it impossible to trade properly.

Overseeing the reopening was then manager Rob Herron, who said at the time that he was working hard to regain the atmosphere and ambience that many locals and visitors alike have cherished over the years.

Since then, Rob handed over the reigns to new manager Max Bosely in May 2022 and stepped down from the position several months later. 

Rob and Max's efforts have clearly been successful, as it scored the highest overall after a series of secret inspections.

The 'Front in Falmouth has been named best in Cornwall

To be win the title, pubs were nominated by CAMRA members and then inspected individually by a number of undercover inspectors.

Five pubs out of a potential 580 or so real ale pubs in the Cornwall made it to the final shortlist.

In addition to the condition of the real ale on offer, pubs were scored on several other criteria, such as the welcome received on entry, service offered to customers, cleanliness, décor, atmosphere, whether beer prices are clearly displayed, and involvement in the local community.

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A CAMRA Kernow spokesperson said: “At the end of the process and collation of the scores, it was found that the top three performers were very close in score totals – as might be expected in a survey of what CAMRA judges to be among the best pubs in the county.”

Coming in behind The ‘Front, with the silver award, was the Bell Inn at Launceston. Described on its website as the oldest known pub in Launceston, it describes itself as “passionate about real ales.”

In third place was the Royal Oak Inn at Perranwell. Halfway between Falmouth and Truro, it is on the Rail Ale Trail Maritime Line, giving people the chance to try out traditional real ales at rural pubs throughout Cornwall and Devon.

The Royal Oak at Perranwell received bronze (Image: Google Street View)

Presentation of the awards will take place at each pub on dates to be announced. In the meantime, The ‘Front now goes forward to CAMRA’s Southwest Regional Pub of the Year competition, for a chance to vie for the title of National Pub of the Year.

CAMRA added: “Regardless of what happens from here, to finish in the top the of around 600 pubs - the second largest number for any CAMRA branch - is an exceptional achievement and we salute all three award winners.”

‘Real ale’ is defined by CAMRA as beer served in traditional fashion, with no extraneous CO2 in contact with the beer to pressurise it or to drive it into the glass. It must not have been filtered, pasteurised, or otherwise had natural live yeast removed before the point of sale.