THE Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has awarded two pubs in Bradford with a Golden Award to mark 50 years of the organisation’s campaigns.

As part of its anniversary celebrations throughout 2021, CAMRA is recognising people, groups of people or businesses that have made a significant contribution to CAMRA’s aims to help get the campaign to where it is today.

The two pubs that have been awarded across the region are:

• Corn Dolly, Bradford – a traditional freehouse that has featured in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide for more than 30 years

• Fighting Cock, Bradford – a multi-award-winning traditionally-styled freehouse, recognised for regularly appearing in the Good Beer Guide, and consistently pouring great pints.

CAMRA’s Awards Director Gary Timmins said: “I am delighted to be honouring these pubs today with a CAMRA Golden Award. 2021 is our anniversary year, and we want to take this opportunity to celebrate the successes of great British locals as well as CAMRA’s achievements – we wouldn’t have got far without their support!

“This anniversary comes on the heels of an incredibly difficult time for the industry after a year of lockdowns and restrictions.

“I hope the teams behind the winning pubs and their locals will take this award as appreciation for all the hard work involved in running the pub, over the decades and especially now.

“Nominations were submitted by our members and consumers, which says a lot about the support and impact they have had.

“Winners have been chosen for their successes in standing the test of time; for being convivial, characterful and community-focused, and of course for consistently pouring great pints.

“I applaud these pubs for their dedication, for being community stalwarts and campaigning heroes.”

Peter Down, Acting Chairman for CAMRA’s Bradford Branch is jubilant about the awards. “To have two pubs within the Bradford Branch area being recognised as part of CAMRA’s Golden Awards for their long-standing support of the Campaign and real ale is fantastic news.

“To be informed they also represent the whole of the Yorkshire Region is almost unbelievable!

“These awards are just recognition for the hard-work and dedication that the respective publicans and their staff have put in over many years.

“The last 16 months have been extremely hard for all in the pub trade and these awards also represent the beginning of new hope by helping advertise how great the British pub is.

“The Bradford branch will look forward to presenting these awards in person once the current Government restrictions have been lifted.”

The full successful cohort contains 32 pubs, including five that have appeared in all 48 editions of the Good Beer Guide, the longest standing community-owned pub in the country, and the current Pub of the Year title holder.

Nominations for the Golden Awards were made by CAMRA members and locals. Over 240 pubs submitted were whittled down to the list of awardees.

The Golden Awards celebrate recipients in three different categories: ‘Pubs’, ‘Pints’, and ‘People’. The winners in the ‘Pints’ and ‘People’ categories will be announced later in the year.

CAMRA will be celebrating their 50th anniversary throughout 2021, with a host of activity including a new biography 50 Years of CAMRA, awards for campaigners, pubs and breweries, virtual festivals, and commemorative merchandise.

For more about CAMRA's 50th anniversary visit camra.org.uk/50-years/