A COMMUNITY-owned public house near Wiveliscombe has gained a coveted place in the Campaign for Real Ale’s Good Beer Guide.

The annual publication surveys 4,500 of the country’s best pubs and is considered a definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints.

New Inn, Halse, general managers Lucy Faulkner and Serena Spiller, were celebrating the pub’s inclusion in the 2025 edition.

The accolade comes in a year in which the New Inn was also named in the top 10 per cent of restaurants worldwide thanks to the culinary skills of head chef Doug Redman.

It achieved a 9.3 out of 10 rating in the Tripadvisor and Booking.com Travellers Choice Awards 2024.

A spokesperson said: “That means we have earned positive reviews and ratings over the past year.

“Tripadvisor and Booking.com regularly celebrate inns and restaurants that regularly deliver amazing experiences and award them for consistently high standard.

“The New Inn, Halse, regularly makes the list.

“Thank you to customers and community for the fantastic support you have given us and congratulations to our staff for their hard work and effort in winning this recognition.”

The New Inn was said to have traded continuously since the 1700s but was threatened with closure in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, local residents stepped in with nearly 200 people buying shares in a community benefit society to buy the premises and keep it running.

It now employs 14 full and part-time staff, supports Ukrainian refugees, and is used by 28 clubs and societies.