TWO brothers who have been running the Horse and Groom, at Bourton on the Hill, since 2005 say they are delighted their establishment has been named Pub of the Year in the 2016 Good Pub Guide.

The guide, known as the bible for pub-goers, also names the Horse and Groom as County Dining Pub of the Year in Gloucestershire.

The guide acknowledges the pub as a 'handsome Georgian inn with a fine range of drinks, excellent food, friendly staff and lovely views from seats outside and smart bedrooms. A well run, honey-coloured stone inn'.

Will and Tom Greenstock, aged 36 and 39 respectively are at the helm of their respective responsibilities; Will and his kitchen brigade deliver mouth-watering menus, while Tom and the front of house team offers a warm welcome and efficient service.

Tom Greenstock said: “Winning the Pub of the Year award is what Will and I have been striving for since we opened ten years ago. We’ve gained recognition through several other awards, but this really is the icing on the cake: it’s the award that every publican dreams of winning.”

The Horse and Groom is described as the perfect place for a quiet lunch, a quick tipple after a stroll through the stunning local landscape or for a complete evening’s merriment. In the depths of winter an open fire and a wood-burning stove throw out welcome warmth.

Other recent accolades include: Cotswold Life Food and Drink Awards Best Pub Restaurant - 2012 & 2015; Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand - 2014 & 2015; Good Pub Guide Gloucestershire Dining Pub of the Year Award - 2009 & 2013 and Good Hotel Guide César Award, Pub with Rooms of the Year - 2012.

The Good Pub Guide also names Oxfordshire County Dining Pub of the Year 2016 as The Kingham Plough, at Kingham, run by celebrity chef Emily Watkins.

Fiona Stapley, editor of The Good Pub Guide, said: “The food that Emily Watkins cooks at the Plough in Kingham is inventive and exciting. There’s a proper bar, too, with an interesting range of drinks served by knowledgeable staff and a genuine welcome for all.”

Emily who recently appeared on BBC’s Great British Menu as a veteran judge, is thrilled to have been awarded again saying, “We are so proud to have been awarded Oxfordshire pub of the year for the second year running. It means so much to us - it proves that the guests are enjoying what we spend so much time to creating - a real pub with delicious food."

The Kingham Plough has celebrated much success already in the year of 2015 from being accredited a two SRA Rating for their sustainable kitchen to proudly watching Emily Watkins participating again in The Great British Menu to performing a live demo at Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival.

New Pub of the Year 2016 has been named as Porch House, in Stow, which reopened in spring after a £2million refurbishment while the accolade of Value Pub of the Year went to the Crown and Trumpet, in Broadway.