A FAMILY-run country pub in Herefordshire is in line for its second national award in a matter of weeks.

The Crown Inn, at Woolhope, between Ledbury and Hereford, had just won the Best Cider Pub at the Great British Pub Awards, when owners Matthew and Annalisa Slocombe heard the pub was through to the finals of the Best British Roast Dinner Competition 2015.

“It is the first time we have entered anything,” said Matthew. “We are chuffed to bits. We are genuinely overjoyed.”

The couple bought the Crown Inn in 2007 after previously running an award-winning restaurant. “We have ridden the rough times since 2007 and we decided to enter two competitions this year.”

He said they went to the Great British Pub Awards ceremony in London, which was a huge event. “It was like being at the Oscars for pubs.

“Two weeks after winning the Best Cider Award, we heard we had won the regional final for the Best British Roast Dinner Competition.”

The Crown Inn normally only serves its roast dinners on a Sunday but this week, in the run-up to the award announcement, they have been on the menu everyday – for the mystery diner finals judge to assess.

“Our Sunday lunches are really popular. In the regional finals the judges were really impressed with the beautifully cooked meat and the heritage vegetables. We serve old varieties of vegetables, which take longer to grow and vegetables which are a bit different.

“All the gravies are made individually from the juices of the meat in the pan. I cannot praise our chefs Pete Brewin and Sean Weaver enough.”

The competition attracted 440 entries from all over the country and the finalist are:

• The Crown Inn, Herefordshire

• Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd

• The Duke of Wellington, East Horsley

• Kyloe, Edinburgh

• Larwood and Voce, Nottingham

Chris Brown, channel category manager, said: “Congratulations to The Crown Inn. Every year the judging process gets harder as the standard of roast dinners gets better. Our mystery diners are now scouring the country to find Britain’s best pub roast.

“What we’re really looking for is roasts that stand out from the crowd – prime cuts of meat, locally sourced, innovative sides and lashings of gravy. And we’re looking for it to be presented with a top notch level of service in a warm and welcoming setting.”

Judge and renowned food critic Charles Campion, agrees. “As soon as you walk into the dining room your nose will tell you there is a treat in store. Perfectly cooked roast meat; Yorkshire puddings; roast potatoes; rich gravy; a supporting cast of fresh vegetables.”

The winner will be announced tomorrow (Sunday October 4).

The Best British Road Dinner Competition – part of British Roast Dinner Week – is sponsored by KNORR Gravy and supported by Colman’s Mustard.