by Rich Gabe, West Dorset CAMRA Press Officer.
In conjunction with the launch of the 2027 Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) bestselling book, “The Good Beer Guide” and national “Cask Ale” week, West Dorset CAMRA are proud to announce that the Rock Point Inn, Lyme Regis has won the 2026 “Beer Drinkers Pub Of The Year” award which is awarded to the pub that consistently serves the best well kept cask conditioned real ale throughout the last year and has different qualification quality’s than our Pub of the Year winner.
This is a unique award that CAMRA members judge throughout the year through a national beer scoring system via the CAMRA website. Members can enter a score ranging from undrinkable to excellent for the cask ale they are drinking and varying levels in between. Every month the data is presented at CAMRA branch meetings (which all members can attend) by an unbiased coordinator and throughout the past year the Rock Point has led the way, standing out as consistently good.
The Rock Point is a tied St.Austell pub situated in the heart of the coastal town of Lyme Regis with panoramic seaside views of the Jurassic coast and offers accommodation and meals alongside. The 18th century inn was refurbished and acquired by St Austell brewery in 2020. Two regular cask ales are permanently available with a third from the St Austell small batch range often on sale.
Speaking on behalf of the Rock Point, out-going general manager and licence holder Dan Townsend said “I am delighted that the pub has won the award and particularly pleased that it was being presented to coincide with the launch of the Good Beer Guide. The Rock Point was proud to be the only pub listed in Lyme Regis last year.” He went on to praise the staff for how well they kept the beer.
New Rock general manager and licence holder Connor Wilson said “I am proud to represent the pub and carrying on selling cask ale at an excellent award winning standard.”
West Dorset CAMRA Pub Promotions & Awards Co-ordinator Kylie Stroud said “I am delighted the Rock Point Inn has won the award, the pub is known for consistently providing good quality, well-kept real ales. St Austell brewery should be very proud of their team here.”
Highlights of the Good Beer Guide 2027 include the community-owned The Elm Tree at Langton Herring, a popular destination pub with a good choice of Dorset beers. Two former award winners the Thimble Inn, Piddlehinton, a thatched traditional Palmers pub in the Piddle Valley and to the east the Sailors Return where more Dorset beers including Cerne Abbas, Hattie Brown’s and Palmers can regularly be found on offer. The recently restored Bottle Inn, Marshwood almost on the Devon border has made the guide which can offer some beers seldom seen in Dorset. The White Hart, Yetminster the current West Dorset cider pub of the year also makes the guide for consistently serving good beer. The Wetherspoons pub group is represented by the William Henry, Weymouth and the Royal Oak, Dorchester. Bridport features the current West Dorset Pub of the Year the Tiger Inn plus former winners the Ropemakers and the Woodman, the Pursuit of Hoppiness also makes the guide.
The CAMRA Good Beer Guide to many is regarded as the beer drinkers bible and is the only guide that promotes pubs on beer quality alone. Unlike other guides publicans cannot pay to be in this publication. The book not only lists every county in the UK but has a comprehensive brewery directory and beers brewed also listed. The guide is officially released on Thursday 24th September and is available in all good book shops or to order from CAMRA books.
