A PUB in the Ribble Valley has been crowned the country’s number-one inn for the second year in a row.

The Freemasons at Wiswell has come first in the top 50 pubs in the Waitrose Good Food Guide, which has reviewed pubs, cafes and restaurants since 1951. Steven Smith, 33, of Daisyfield, Blackburn, patron of the Freemasons, said it is difficult to take the news in.

He said: “We were named number one last year and that was amazing but to win it again is unbelievable. It is very good to run the number-one pub in the country. It is a fantastic achievement for us to win.”

The process of deciding the best pubs in Britain is all done anonymously and starts with customers submitting reviews to the guide, which sends senior inspectors when enough reviews have been submitted.

If the senior inspectors are pleased, the editor of the guide then visits the pub to judge it themselves.

Mr Smith said: “The fact the guide is consumer-led makes it special. We are a small pub and our ambition is to be the best and to stay the best — and so far, that is what we are doing. We are seeing customers travel from afar to visit us and there is no greater feeling than knowing you have made their visit worthwhile.”

The pub is the first and only pub in the UK to receive a seven-out-of-ten rating in the history of the guide, along with being named best tourism pub in this year’s Visit England awards as well as achieving three rosettes in the AA Hospitality awards. Elizabeth Carter, editor of Waitrose Good Food Guide, said the pub is a role model.

She said: “It is a classic example of the best small enterprise. I am pleased it has made number one in our pub listing for the second year running for it is such a consistent and likeable country pub with no pretensions or gimmicks.

“I love the way Steven’s skilled cooking extracts the best from top-drawer ingredients and the fact that it is all backed up by staff who happily accommodate drinkers and diners.”

Mr Smith said: “A massive effort has been given from all my staff. I especially thank my wife Aga at the front of house and H in the kitchen.”