The LocAle scheme was created here in the Nottingham Branch in 2007. The catalyst was the buy out and subsequent closure of Hardy & Hansons by Greene King. They then started brewing various H&H beers at Bury St. Edmunds and transporting it all the way back to Nottingham. This led to thinking about the miles that the beer was traveling. Hence we coined the phrase”Beer Miles”.
Locale accredited pubs should always stock at least one real ale brewed at a brewery no more than 20 miles from door to door (this rule may vary in other CAMRA branch areas). A list of breweries that are “LocAle” to Nottingham branch pubs can be seen here. LocAle brewery List
Encouraging pubs to sell local beer reduces the “beer miles” thus benefiting the environment. In addition;
- It ensures more variety and diversity to the consumer, and hence better sales for the pub.
- It helps sustain the local micro brewers.
- It benefits the local economy.
The Nottingham branch now has nearly 150 pubs signed up to the scheme. Though initially the scheme was only in the Nottingham area it was then rolled out nationally, and now most branches have adopted the scheme and you can see LocAles up and down the country.
Each year a competition is held to find our “LocAle Pub of the Year”, click here for more details and a list of past winners.
You will find that participating pubs will display appropriate stickers in windows and doors, visible from outside.
You will always know a LocAle because most will have a topper attached to the pump clip.
LocAle Pub List
The Nottingham CAMRA LocAle scheme works by accrediting pubs that always stock at least one beer from a brewery within 20 miles of the pub door. Please click on the drop down list below for the current list of LocAle pubs in our Branch.
Last Updated 18th March 2025
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LocAle Brewery List
The breweries listed below are all within 20 miles of at least one pub in the Nottingham Branch area but not all of these breweries will be LocAle to every pub, given the distances across our boundaries. For example any pub in Radcliffe on Trent is less than 20 miles from Grantham and so can include the Grantham Breweries within their LocAle suppliers but the pubs in the Nottingham City Centre can’t as Grantham is more than 20 miles away from them.
For a full list of current LocAle Breweries, please click on the link below to download the details:
LocAle Pub of the Year
Nottingham CAMRA has nearly 150 pubs accredited to its LocAle scheme and each year a competition is held to award one of them the accolade of “LocAle Pub of the Year”.
The competition is run over two stages. Firstly, each edition of Nottingham Drinker features a selection of the pubs, based on geographical location, and the public are invited to nominate two pubs from each area to produce twelve finalists.
For the second stage , volunteer judges visit the twelve throughout July and August awarding scores for the quality and the range of locally produced beers and ciders. Typically over 100 separate surveys are undertaken before an overall winner is declared.
The competition was inaugurated in 2012 and the winners to date have been as follows;
2012 – Flying Horse, Arnold
2013 – The Gate Inn, Awsworth
2014 – Hand & Heart, city Centre
2015 – Lincolnshire Poacher, City Centre
2016 – Horse & Jockey Stapleford
2017 – The Star, Beeston
2018 – Tap & Growler, Eastwood
2019 – The Star, Beeston
2020 – Miners Return, Kimberley
2021 - No Award
2022 - Byron's Rest, Hucknall
2023 - Old Green Dragon, Oxton
2024 - Old Green Dragon, Oxton
2025 LocAle Pub of the Year
Vat & Fiddle
2025 Nottingham “LocAle Pub” of the Year – WINNER:THE VAT & FIDDLE
The 2025 Nottingham LocAle Pub of the Year award was presented to the Vat & Fiddle, Nottingham on Thursday 7 August 2025. The pub ensured that there was plenty of local beer and ciders available on the night and customers were treated to the following choices:
• Lenton Lane – 36 North
• Little – Dragon
• Castle Rock – Harvest Pale; Elsie Mo; Screech Owl; Preservation; Oatmeal Stout; Our House; Interlace.
• Thirsty Farmer – Orange & Pinapple
• Thirsty Farmer – Strawberry
So how did The Vat & Fiddle win the award and what exactly is LocAle? LocAle is the campaign that Nottingham branch started as a result of the closure of Hardys & Hansons brewery in 2006. Pubs are accredited to the scheme as long as they offer at least one local beer or cider and the quality of the beer or cider is consistently good. For the beer to be deemed local it has to be brewed less than 20 miles from the pub and for cider a slightly higher mileage is allowed.
Since 2006 the scheme has been adopted nationally and within the Nottingham CAMRA branch area there are now over 150 locAle accredited pubs. In every edition of ND a number of pubs feature and from this list pubs (chosen by the public) advance to the final. In July and August judges visited the pubs and awarded marks for quality of beers and ciders; range of beers and ciders, and the amount of promotion of locAle that was undertaken by the pub.
Previous winners of the award were The Old Green Dragon, Oxton (2023 and 2024); Byrons Rest, Hucknall (2022); The Robin Hood (AND) Little John, Arnold (2021) The Miners Return, Kimberley (2020); The Star Inn, Beeston (2019); The Tap & Growler, Hilltop, Eastwood (2018); The Star, Beeston (2017); Horse & Jockey, Stapleford (2016); Lincolnshire Poacher (2015); Hand & Heart (2014); The Gate, Awsworth (2013) and The Flying Horse, Arnold (2012).
Congratulations therefore go to General Manager Danny Storer and the team, for becoming the 2025 Nottingham CAMRA LocAle pub of the Year.
On being told that the pub had won, Jon Harris, Assistant Manager and Chief Cellarman said
“We are absolutely made up to hear the Vat is being crowned Nottingham’s LocAle Pub of the Year. We’re committed to having at least 10 locally brewed beers on the bar – in fact, it’s usually as many as thirteen or fourteen – plus, a local cider or perry or two to boot. Given we’re lucky enough to be surrounded by an abundance of brilliant breweries, we don’t have to go far to be able to offer an exciting and diverse range of quality beers.”
Picture shows Andrew Ludlow, Nottingham CAMRA LocAle Officer, Nottingham CAMRA presenting the award to Jon (centre), and the team.
On the night of the presentation not only was there a great range of high-quality beers and ciders but customers were also treated to some rather Moorish home-made chocolate cakes.
“Old General and friends LocAle presentation”
