TIME is running out for readers to have their say on the best watering hole in Worcester.

Our Pub of the Year contest sees readers voting for their favourite establishment in the city, with the winning landlord receiving a trophy and being invited to Parliament by Worcester MP Robin Walker.

The Worcester News has been inundated with votes and one of the popular ones so far has been the Paul Pry in The Butts. The pub has a rich history having originally been purpose-built to service the nearby cattle market, and named after a popular theatrical character of the 1800s.

Landlord Alex Pope said they were “humbled” to hear they had been getting nominations, saying they had always embraced being a community hub.

Mr Pope said the establishment, a former CAMRA pub of the year winner, had a chequered history, having been closed at some points in its history. But he said it had gone from strength-to-strength since they took over in 2017.

“We are a family run pub and we are here to support the community with our free function room used by everyone from political groups, to chess and bands practising,” said Mr Pope.

The landlord, who has been in the trade for 20 years, added: “We have a passion for food with our popular Sunday lunches. As we currently rent we hope to buy premises, as we have plans.”

He said the pub was currently doing really well describing it as “jumping” on Friday and Saturday nights, and encouraged people to keep voting, adding it would be a “dream come true” to win the competition.

Anyone can vote for their Pub of the Year, whether a member of staff or a loyal customer, but we only accept slips cut out from the newspaper as votes, to ensure a fair competition.

Entries need to arrive to the Worcester News office no later the deadline, November 30. The voting slip will be published each week, with pub profiles as people nominate their favourite spots.

The competition winner will be announced in the paper and on our website on Tuesday, December 4.

Worcester News editor Michael Purton said: “There are some brilliant pubs in the area and we want to highlight them. Time is running out, so get your nominations in before the deadline.”