News
- Hop Pole, Limpley Stoke named Branch Pub of the Year 2026
Thursday 2 April 2026
Just fourteen months after re-opening as a community owned pub The Hop Pole in Limpley Stoke has been chosen as Bath & Borders Pub of the Year 2026.
.Many congratulations to the Limpley Stoke Community Benefit Society and pub management team of Charlie Rawlings & Hannah Randall.
The certificate will be presented to the pub on the evening of Tuesday 21st April and the pub will go forward to the Regional judging round
The 2026 runner-up is The Raven, Bath (the 2023 winner) and their certificate will be presented to the pub on the evening of Thursday 21st May.
Photo of 1st birthday party courtesy of Jon Tonks
- Spring edition of Pints West out now
Friday 20 March 2026
Multi-award winning Pints West out now - look out for it at at pub near you
Further details here Pints West.
- Hop Pole is one !
Monday 26 January 2026
Residents of Limpley Stoke just south of Bath celebrated the first anniversary of the resurrection of the Hop Pole with bubbles, beer, balloons and cake on 26 Jan 2026.
.Congratulations to all involved. You can get a flavour of the celebrations here ITV covers Hop Pole.
. - Help Save the Brit
Saturday 17 January 2026
Good News, the planning application to convert the Britannia Inn into housing has been rejected by Somerset County Council and the East Wells Community Benefit Society are hopeful that they will be able to move forward with the project to buy the pub in the coming weeks and subsequently re-open it. If so and to hit the ground running the committee are seeking additional community support. Any support is welcome but they are particularly interested in the following skills
• Accountant; Architect; Solicitor; Surveyor
• Builder; Carpenter; Electrician; Plumber
• Decorator; Landscaper Plasterer; Roofer
• Administrative; Bookkeeping; Secretarial
• Project Manager; Team Leaders; General Labourer
Background here What's Brewing Brit article. If you are interested and want to know more then please contact gro.sbcsllewtsae@nimda . Check their facebook page. for latest info
Save the Brit !
. - Pints West out now !
Monday 22 December 2025
Winter edition of multi award winning Pints West is out now and will be appearing in a pub near you soon
.More details here Pints West.
- Change of venue 2nd Dec social
Monday 1 December 2025
due to overnight closure of the Winsley Hill road, and the Christmas Lights Switch On at the Hop Pole, it will be difficult to get there by bus, very little or no parking, and the pub will be very busy. So we have changed venue to Cross Keys
- Britannia Inn Wells under fresh threat
Thursday 30 October 2025
Wellington Pub Company have submitted a Planning Application to partially demolish the Britannia Inn and redevelop the site for residential use. Oddly the planning application doesnt highlight that it refers to a pub but the application can be found on the Somerset planning application Somerset Planning Portal here.
This is an unwelcome development especially as a East Wells Community Benefit Society is raising funds to buy and re-open the pub
If you wish to object to this Change of Use application for this Asset of Community Value. you need to do so before 19 Nov 2025.
The community group now have a campaign song . and the pub has been featured here What's Brewing Brit article.