A POPULAR village pub has been crowned the Ribble Valley Pub of the Year.

The Dog Inn at Whalley was given the award after a visit from members of the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Manager Chris Jay, who has been at the pub for four years, said it was a surprise to win the award.

He said: “We certainly didn’t see it coming.

“I think this is the first award we have won, certainly to my knowledge.

“Camra liked the fact we have lots of cask ales on and they change all the time.

“We try to offer something different and we support the smaller microbreweries in the area.

“A good selection of ales is important for pubs to thrive at the moment.

“The pub also gets involved in the local community and has events on all the time.

“Everyone is really pleased to have won this award.”

East Lancashire Camra chairman John Webster said: “The Dog Inn has won this year’s award because of a number of factors.

“Like all the pubs that win our awards, it has consistently good beer and a nice atmosphere.

“It is a good old fashioned pub. They have opened it up recently but it retains an old-fashioned atmosphere.

“It has good staff and is everything a pub should be.”

Mr Webster added that to win the Ribble Valley Pub of the Year was a tremendous achievement.

He said: “We have a group that goes round pretty much every pub in the Ribble Valley and that is a big area.

“For it to win out of all those pubs is an achievement.

“In an age when pubs are shutting down it is goosd that we can give these awards and commend the hard work of landlords in East Lancashire.”