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West Country pub celebrates as it becomes one of the top three pubs in the UK to receive a Sawday's Award for its local, seasonal & organic produce

14 August 2015: The Queens Arms at Corton Denham, Sherborne had plenty to celebrate this week as it was named by Sawday's best-selling guide to pubs and inns as one of the top three pubs in the UK for its Local, Seasonal and Organic Produce. Owners Jeanette and Gordon Reid received the certificate from Toby Sawday, Managing Director of Sawday's, who also presented them with a copy of the guide:Special Places: Pubs and Inns of England & Wales .

The three UK winners of the Local, seasonal and organic produce award have a passion for actively sourcing seasonal foods from high-quality suppliers with deli counters by the bar, farmers' markets in pub car parks and poly tunnels full of home-grown produce. The two other winners in this category are The Jacobs Inn in Wolvercote, Oxfordshire and The Rat Inn in Anick, Northumberland.

Toby Sawday commented: "Competition for our annual awards has never been fiercer; the winners really embody the Sawday's spirit of special, demonstrating creativity and excellence in a changing and challenging industry."

Jeanette Reid said, "We are so pleased to receive this accolade in this category, particularly as we were up against over 800 other pubs and inns. We do everything to ensure the produce and ingredients we use are the best available and in particular they are locally sourced. We always say we measure the provenance of our food in metres, not miles!"

The Queens has its own herd of cattle, pigs and hens as well as a bountiful kitchen garden, so ensuring that all ingredients are fresh and locally sourced. Heading up a young team in the kitchen, its award winning chef Ben Abercrombie says that the food reflects the individual strengths of the whole team. Since Ben has been Head Chef, The Queens received a coveted second rosette for Culinary Excellence from the AA.

The watchword is versatility with the food presenting a mix of traditional "home cooked" comfort food versus a la carte. For example a simple dish like "Fish and Chips" will be served up as a deconstructed version presenting all the accompaniments as an amazing dish of "chip shop treats". The A La Carte menu is different again reflecting Ben's love of using more obscure cuts of meat and fish and may include pig's head ravioli, squirrel or Cornish Pollock.

The entry for The Queens Arms that appears in the Sawday's guide, sums up everything that makes the pub stand out as a very special place:"Stride across rolling fields, feast on Corton Denham lamb, retire to a perfect room. Buried down several Dorset/Somerset borders lanes, Gordon and Jeanette Reid's 18th-century stone pub has an elegant exterior - more country gentleman's house than pub. The bar, with its rug-strewn flagstones and bare boards, pew benches, deep sofas and crackling fire, is most charming. In the light, bright dining room that doubles up as a cinema on week nights and on the terrace in summer, robust British dishes are distinguished by fresh ingredients from local suppliers. Try pheasant, pigeon and black pudding terrine, follow with monkfish with chive velouté, make room for a comforting crumble. Expect Gyle59 on tap, homemade pork pies on the bar, Gloucester Old Spot bacon at breakfast (from 8am daily), and stunning walks from the door."

The 12th Edition of Sawday's Special Places Pubs & Inns of England & Wales guide book is on sale on 15 June, priced at £15.99 in major bookshops and £11.99 on Sawday's website. Check out the full collection of Sawday's pubs online atwww.sawdays.co.uk/pubs

For more information, contact The Queens Arms, T/: 01963 220317 or E/:relax@thequeensarms.comor visit:www.thequeensarms.com

Press information and high res images available from Jane Adkins, A Head for PR, T/: 01935 813114 or E/:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Editor's notes

The Queens Arms is situated at the heart of the ancient village of Corton Denham, nestling on the Somerset / Dorset border just north of Sherborne. Surrounded by stunning countryside, this late 18th Century British pub with rooms will delight those in search of good drink, good food and real comfort. Awarded Silver in the Best Tourism Pub and B&B/Accommodation categories in the South West Tourism Awards 2014-15, and awarded Taste of Somerset Best Pub 2013, the Queens Arms also has 2 AA Rosettes for its food offering, CAMRA 2012 Cider Pub of the Year and National Best Freehouse in the 2012 Awards. The 8 ensuite letting rooms have also received AA 5 star Inn rating.

Aug 2015 (Queens Arms 06)