It’s cheers all round at The Queen’s Arms pub as CAMRA have awarded it the prestigious Neil Richardson Traditional Pub of the Year award for the second time in its history.
The Grade-II listed pub on Green Lane in Patricroft, was first honoured with this award way back in 2010 and it has to be said that since then, the pub has gone from strength to strength.
Known locally as the Top House because of the steep walk up to the pub, the Queen’s Arms was recently granted special protected status as an ‘Asset of Community Value’.
The listing means has that if the pub ever goes up for sale, the community will be given time to come up with a bid to purchase the building.
Originally called the Patricroft Tavern, the Queen’s Arms was built in 1828 to coincide with the opening of the Liverpool to Manchester Railway.
Watch: Joy for Lamb Hotel with Traditional Pub of the Year 2015 award
It was renamed 23 years later in honour of Queen Victoria’s 1851 royal visit to Salford.
As such, it has a strong claim to be the world’s first ever pub built to serve the railway.
It’s historic architectural features, including etched-glass windows and Art Nouveau fireplaces, made the Top House a strong contender for a second award.
SalfordOnline.com spoke to landlady Lynn Benson who told us: “We think its lovely to win this award, and it’s nice to think that people appreciate the service that we provide.
“Myself and my husband Chris are both really happy to receive this.”
The Neil Richardson Award was named for the late local history publisher who sadly died in 2006.
Neil’s first booklet on local history, about the pubs of Salford, appeared in 1978.
As one of the area’s most respected local publishers, Neil went on to make available nearly 300 out-of-print guide books, directories, maps and other publications, forever changing the face of local history publishing.
Previous winners of the Neil Richardson award include The Stanley Arms in Patricroft; The Eagle Inn in Salford, The Union in Salford and last year’s winners the Edwardian, Grade-II listed Lamb Hotel in Eccles.
The award will be presented at the Queen’s Arms on Wednesday 6 January from 7.30pm.
