31-01-2025
'Must visit' West Midlands social club with own brewery is UK's best
A SOCIAL club in the West Midlands has been crowned the best in the UK, beating finalists from up and down the country to the top spot.
The multi-award winning Firs Club in Codsall, Staffordshire has been named Club of the Year for 2024 by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) for the first time.
Described by CAMRA as a 'must visit for cask beer fans', the Firs Club was praised for its drinks line up, with the club having its own microbrewery on site, which features a core ranges of ales, some of which are exclusive to the venue, Firs beers and five locally sourced, 'ever-changing' cask beers.
Claiming to be 'the best place in Codsall to watch football, the club has a large decking area for people to enjoy in the summer, as well as a 'comfortably furnished' bar area, quiet lounge area and a separate sports lounge for people to enjoy a round of darts or game of pool.
The club's manager, Anna Reynolds, said she was 'honoured' to win the award and praised the community behind the club for its success.
She said: 'Well what can I say, it's a great surprise and honour to win CAMRA's Club of the Year award, it's something we thought was out of our reach.
'We couldn't have done it without the support of our club members, committee, CAMRA members and of course the staff who work hard to make the club a great place to visit and hopefully stay for a while.'
The club has previously been named West Midlands Regional Club of the Year three years in a row and has been featured in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide.
The Firs Club beat out three other social clubs in Kent, Kettering and St Helens to take the national crown.
Shelly Bentley, West Midlands Regional Director for CAMRA, said: 'This is a fantastic achievement for the Firs Club.
'Anna and the team work incredibly hard to create a communal atmosphere and provide a stellar line up of beers for locals to enjoy. I hope this is the first of many successes for the club and its community.
'2024 has been a fantastic year for the West Midlands, this award for the Firs Club is truly deserved and comes just a couple of weeks after the Bailey Head in Oswestry was named Pub of the Year 2024.'
