Pub of the Year (POTY) and Club of the Year (COTY) Process
The process for Cider Pub of the Year is below.
1. Introduction
This document outlines the process for selecting the West Central Regional Pub of the Year (POTY) once the national competition timetable has been published.
Role of the Regional POTY Coordinator
The process is normally managed by the Regional POTY Coordinator.
If the post is vacant or the Coordinator is unavailable, the Regional Director may appoint another responsible person.
Throughout this document, “Coordinator” refers to whichever individual is fulfilling this role.
2. Notification of National Timetable
Once the national POTY timetable is announced, the Regional POTY Coordinator shall inform:
- The Regional Director (RD)
- The Area/County Coordinators (ACCs)
This group will then agree a deadline by which county winners must be submitted to the Regional Coordinator. This internal deadline must be set at least six weeks prior to the national deadline for submission of regional winners, allowing sufficient time for regional judging.
3. County and Branch Judging
The region will not prescribe how branches select their winners, other than requiring adherence to the agreed deadline. Details of the winner must be submitted to their ACC along with a nominated person who will participate in the county level judging. It should be noted that, to give their candidate the best chance of progressing, branches are strongly encouraged to (and counties must) use the national POTY criteria and official judging form.
A CAMRA branch can nominate only one pub to progress to the county round, even if the branch covers multiple counties or regions. If multiple winners are chosen within the branch, only one overall pub may be submitted to the next stage. If a branch’s winner is not in the West Central Region, it will not be judged by West Central, but will be the responsibility of the appropriate region.
4. Nomination of County Winner and Lead Judge
When an ACC submits its county winner to the Regional Coordinator, it must also nominate a Lead Judge for the regional round.
The ACC is responsible for informing branches.
The ACC must ensure fair judging by appointing at least three judges from three different branches. If more than one judge is from the same branch, their scores must be combined.
5. Coordination of Regional Judging
Within one week of the agreed county deadline, the Regional Coordinator will notify all Lead Judges of the four county winners.
Each Lead Judge will then:
- Organise visits to all four county-winning pubs.
- Ensure each pub is judged using the national POTY form and guidance.
- Submit scores to the Regional Coordinator no later than one week before the national regional deadline.
- Lead judges may work with additional judges but their scores will be aggregated and travel expenses cannot be claimed.
If a county-winning pub has already been scored using the national system during the county round, those scores may be reused—a second visit is not required in that case.
6. Judging Guidelines
- The number of judges from any county is at the discretion of that county’s Lead Judge.
- However, all forms submitted from a single county will be aggregated to form that county’s final score.
- Each judge must submit scores for all four county winners to ensure fairness.
7. Results and Submission
The Regional Coordinator will:
- Collate all judging forms and combine rankings to determine the regional winner.
- Notify the RD and ACCs of the outcome.
- Submit the final regional result to the national POTY organiser by the national deadline.
8. Role of the Regional POTY Coordinator
The process is normally managed by the Regional POTY Coordinator.
If the post is vacant or the Coordinator is unavailable, the Regional Director may appoint another responsible person.
Throughout this document, “Coordinator” refers to whichever individual is fulfilling this role.
9. Timetable – Pub and Club of the Year
The precise dates may change from year to year
Mid March – ACCs report Branch Winners to RD and Regional Coordinator.
24th May – ACCs report County Winners to RD and Regional Coordinator.
24th July – ACCs report regional judging scores to Regional Coordinator
31st July – Regional Coordinator report regional results to National Coordinator, RD and ACCs
30th September – Super Regional Results Announced
January – National Winners Announced
Cider Pub of the Year Process
1. Introduction
This document outlines the process for selecting the West Central Regional Cider Pub of the Year once the national competition timetable has been published.
2. Notification of National Timetable
Once the national timetable is announced the Regional POTY Coordinator shall inform:
· The Regional Director (RD)
· The Area/County Coordinators (ACCs)
· The Regional Cider Coordinator
This group will then agree a deadline by which county winners must be submitted to the Regional Cider Coordinator. This internal deadline must be set at least four weeks prior to the national deadline for submission of regional winners, allowing sufficient time for regional judging.
3. County and Branch Judging
The region will not prescribe how branches select their winners, other than requiring adherence to the agreed deadline. However, to give their candidate the best chance of progressing, branches are strongly encouraged to (and counties must) use the national CPOTY criteria and official judging form.
Members’ participation in the judging should be supported but any member judging a round must judge all the entries for that round.
4. Nomination of County Winner
Selection of the winner of a county round should be based on rankings rather than scores. Where 2 pubs have equal rankings the winner will be based on which has the most 1st places based on scores. If there is still a tie then the ACC will have a casting vote.
Each ACC is responsible for informing the Regional Cider Coordinator of either the winner for the county or that the county is not putting forward a candidate.
Announcement to branches within a county is the responsibility of the ACC.
5. Coordination of Regional Judging
The regional cider coordinator shall organise the judging of the county winners using the national CPOTY criteria and official judging form. The number of persons involved in this task shall be decided by the regional cider coordinator.
Members’ participation in the judging should be supported. Each person involved must judge all the candidates. However, where a judge has already completed a national CPOTY official judging form in a previous round a second visit is not required.
6. Results and Submission
The regional Cider Coordinator will:
· Collate all judging forms and combine rankings to determine the regional winner.
· Notify the RD, the Regional POTY Coordinator and ACCs of the outcome.
· Submit the final regional result to the national POTY organiser by the national deadline.
7. Role of the Regional Cider Coordinator
The process is normally managed by the Regional Cider Coordinator.
If the post is vacant or the Coordinator is unavailable, the Regional Director may appoint another responsible person. Throughout this document, “Regional Coordinator” refers to which ever individual is fulfilling this role.
8. Timetable – Cider Pub of the Year
The precise dates may change from year to year
9th March – Branch Results to Regional Cider Coordinator.
6th April – County Results to Regional Cider Coordinator.
4th May – Regional Results to RD and ACCs
10th May – Regional Results to National Cider Coordinator