This country pub near Manchester has been named the UK’s best

The UK’s best gastro pub has been revealed and it’s just over an hour’s drive from Manchester.

It was revealed last night that The Parkers Arms in Newton-In-Bowland, Clitheroe, has topped the list at this year’s prestigious Estrella Damn Gastropubs, also known as the ‘pub Oscars’.

The female-owned pub, headed up by Kathy Smith and Stosie Madi. Set deep in the Lancashire hills, Parkers Arms is called a little gem and is a true gastropub which takes pride in sourcing local produce from the very best suppliers.

The pub is famed for its pies, but with a menu that often changes twice a day you never know exactly what you’re going to get. As a result the menu is rarely listed on its website, as it fluctuates depending on what is in season and locally available.

In the past few years The Parkers Arms has slowly but steadily climbed up the rankings, first entering the list in 2017 at number 48 before going on to take home second place last year.

Commenting on how it felt to scoop the top gong at last, owners said they were ‘so delighted proud and honoured to be no 1 in what we call the pub oscars,’ adding that the award was a massive ‘morale booster’.

Overall, the 2023 list was dominated by the south but there were a number of other northern pubs featured. Notably, these include The Pack Horse in Hayfield (no. 18) and nearby Yorkshire pubs The Angel at Hetton, Skipton (no.6) The White Swan at Fence, Burnley (no. 7), Shibden Mill Inn (no.14) and recently-closed pub The Moorcock Inn at Norland.

Read more: I ate chicken feet and thousand-year-old eggs in Manchester’s Chinatown – and I loved it

In total the list saw five new entrants for 2023.  The Baring in London, the highest new entrant, came in at number 23 whilst on the marshy coastline of Norfolk yThe White Horse, another new entrant, was voted number 34.

Other awards announced at the ceremony on Monday night were One to Watch – which was given to The Victoria Oxshott, in Surrey. The Oarsman in Marlow was awarded Newcomer of the Year. Brook House in Fulham won best Front of House Team, and Chef of the Year went to Tom De Keyser, head chef of The Hand & Flowers in Marlow.

Read more: Award-winning Manchester pie shop Ate Days A Week has closed

Top 50 Gastropubs, Publisher, Chris Lowe said: “We are thrilled to see such a strong list of contenders this year, including five new entrants! The Top 50 Gastropubs provides a space for food and drink lovers the opportunity to explore the best that the UK has to offer. We are delighted to host this year’s event at The Unruly Pig, showcasing the vast amount of talent across the UK”

The Top 50 Gastropubs 2023 list is as follows:

1. Parkers Arms, Newton-In-Bowland

2. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge

3. Freemasons at Wiswell, Wiswell

4. The Sportsman, Seasalter

5. The Kentish Hare, Tunbridge Wells

6. The Angel at Hetton, Hetton

7. The White Swan at Fence, Fence

8. The Hand & Flowers, Marlow

9. The Fordwich Arms, Kent

10. The Red Lion and Sun, London

11. The Mariners, Rock

12. The Cornish Arms, Tavistock

13. The Harwood Arms, London

14. Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax

15. The Coach, Marlow

16. The Beehive, Great Waltham

17. The Cadeleigh Arms, Tiverton

18. The Pack Horse, Hayfield

19. Pyne Arms, Barnstaple

20. The Black Swan, Ravenstondale

21. The Moorcock Inn, Sowerby Bridge

22. The Guinea Grill, London

23. The Baring, London

24. The Masons Arms, Knowstone

25. Canton Arms, London

26. The Rat Inn, Anick, Hexham

27. The Pipe and Glass, Beverley

28. The Longs Arms, South Wraxall

29. The Dog at Wingham, Canterbury

30. The Felin Fach Griffin, Brecon

31. The Hardwick, Abergavenny

32. The Loch and The Tyne, Old Windsor

33. The Bull & Last, London

34. The White Horse, Brancaster

35. The Black Bull, Sedbergh

36. The Swan, Bampton

37. The Bell Inn, Langford

38. Scran and scallie, Edinburgh

39. The Dog & Gun Inn, Skelton

40. The Duck Inn, Stanhoe

41. The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne

42. The Black Bear Inn, Usk – Wales

43. Heft, High Newton

44. The Broad Chare, Newcastle

45. Woods, Dulverton

46. The Gunton Arms, Norwich

47. The French House, London

48. The Eagle, Farringdon, London

Feature image – The Parkers Arms