A WEST Dorset business is celebrating after being named regional pub of the year.

The Bottle Inn at Marshwood has been recognised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) with another award. The business had already been named pub of the year for the CAMRA West Dorset branch earlier this year.

The latest award means the Bottle Inn has now been selected as the top pub in the Wessex region, which is made up of 11 CAMRA branches in Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Jersey and Guernsey.

Landlord of the Bottle Inn, Nigel Blake, said: "I am still in shock and over the moon at being presented with this award.

"I would like to thank CAMRA for its support, the breweries for supplying us with such a great product, and most of all, our customers for being here, for having the same enjoyment of beer as I do, and for making this possible.”

Dave Harris, chairman of West Dorset CAMRA, said: “We are really delighted in the west Dorset branch to see that this lovely country pub has been so successful.

"For a long time the pub was closed and we thought of it as a lost cause. Since reopening and keeping up the tradition of the annual nettle eating contest, Nigel and Chrissy have won our pub of the year twice.

"Our view has now been reinforced by the wider CAMRA Wessex area also judging it the best in Wessex this year, so we are doubly pleased.”

The Bottle Inn is now one of only 16 pubs across the country to be considered for the overall CAMRA national pub of the year title. The next stage of the process will see the number of pubs reduced to a shortlist of four.

Rich Gabe from CAMRA presented Mr Blake and his wife Chrissy with the award.

He said: “The Wessex region feels that the Bottle Inn at Marshwood is a superb example of a local’s public house, free of tie, that can still offer an outstanding range of innovative and imaginative local and national beers.

"I am sure I will join other members of West Dorset CAMRA in wishing Nigel and Chrissy Blake all the best for progression into the next round of the pub of the year competition.”