Pubs celebrate entry into good beer guide

The Gardeners Call, in High Town Road, Luton, The Star in Chalton, the Red Lion in Studham, the Cross Keys in Totternhoe and Dunstable’s Wetherspoons boozer the Gary Cooper are all newcomers on the Campaign for Real Ale’s definitive list of the best 4,500 real ale pubs in the country, which was released on Thursday.

The Gary Cooper is Dunstable’s third inclusion in the book, known as the beer lover’s bible, joining multi-award winning The Globe in Winfield Street and the Victoria in West Street.

High Town is something of a real ale lover’s paradise it seems in Luton as The Gardeners Call is one of three of the area’s pubs included on this year’s list, joining fellow High Town Road favourite The Bricklayers Arms and Old Bedford Roads the English Rose.

Meanwhile, the Red Lion is Studham’s only entrant with the Cross Keys the sole representative from Totternhoe.

Surprisingly, Toddington watering hole the Sow and Pigs is also included on the list, despite having recently closed.

Overall there are nearly 50 pubs from across Bedfordshire included on the list.

Also among them from our patch are Toddington’s Oddfellows Arms and the Old Hunters Lodge in Whipsnade.

For more information or to pick up a copy of the book, log onto www.camra.org.uk.