Kenilworth pub rated among best in UK

The Cross at Kenilworth, in New Street, was ranked as the fourteenth-best pub in country, the second-best in the Midlands and the best in Warwickshire.

Individual pubs are ranked according to reports from anonymous inspectors and feedback from the public.

Chef director Adam Bennett expressed his pride at The Cross making the prestigious list.

He said: “It’s a great privilege for the place - it takes the wind out of your sails to start with!

“I think we made the list because we’re always striving to do better - we’re always pushing ourselves and each other and it’s a great pat on the back for the staff.

“We’ve got a great front-of-house team who have become very solid over the last year as well.

“I think if you can do that the accolades will come.”

When asked how the pub will make the list next year, Mr Bennett added: “I think business as usual with younger members becoming stronger is part of it.

“Enjoying the job is a big part of success as well - if you don’t have people who are like-minded it doesn’t follow.”

The Lancashire pub, the Freemasons at Wiswell, topped the national list, with The Butcher’s Arms in Gloucestershire taking the top spot in the Midlands.

The Good Food Guide, which started in 1951, compiles its lists from scratch every year, meaning no pub has an unfair advantage by making the list in a previous year.