A RIBBLE Valley venue has been named 'Club of the Year' by the local Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) branch.

The Clitheroe Conservative Club in Castle Street was presented with the award by borough MP Nigel Evans, the chairman of the Parliamentary Beer Group.

Steward Tony Brocklehurst, who has been involved with the club for almost ten years, holds the reigns alongside his wife, Lisa.

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CAMRA members voted on a number of clubs in the Ribble Valley area but the Clitheroe Conservative Club emerged as the overall winner based on the 'excellent quality' of real ale served and for the 'warm and friendly welcome' given to all customers.

Mr Brocklehurst, 54, said: "I'm really pleased that we have been given this award and it came completely out of the blue.

"CAMRA asked to come to the club for a meeting and then suddenly asked for me to stand up and they presented me with this award.

"It's nice to get this sort of recognition for what we do here and it would be nice to get through the other rounds.

"I'm just happy with what we have already got and the members are really pleased as well.

"We try to keep our ales local which is very important to us and we also try to have a variety on tap all the time and rotate them on a regular basis."

The club will now go forward to the East Lancashire competition and possibly all the way to the national finals if they are named the best club in the Pennine area.

In order to qualify for the competition clubs need to offer a range if real ales and be open to non-members.

John Webster, chairman of the East Lancashire branch of CAMRA, said: "I'm very pleased that such a club has won such a prestigious award.

"It makes it's visitors feel very welcome and also serves good quality and wide range of real ale which is the most important thing.

"The next stop for the club will be the East Lancashire competition and it could go all the way to the national finals."