An 18th-century pub in Winchester has been named a brewery's best in the country.

The Wykeham Arms has been crowned the 2024 winner of the Griffin Trophy, Fuller's Pub of the Year competition.

The competition is open to all 185 managed pubs and hotels, and 153 tenanted inns owned by Fuller, Smith & Turner.

The Wykeham Arms, managed by Jon Howard, is a popular pub with 14 bedrooms, nestled between Winchester Cathedral and Winchester College.

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The Wykeham Arms has been crowned the 2024 winner of the Griffin Trophy (Image: Fuller's) It is a hub for locals and tourists, offering a range of drinks, food, and hospitality.

The pub's menu, crafted by head chef Luke Emmess, has earned the pub two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence for 13 consecutive years.

The Wykeham Arms also supports two charities with sales of its Wyk Pie, donating 25p from each pie to the Winchester Cathedral Fund and Play to the Crowd.

Fuller's chairman Michael Turner said: "Jon and The Wykeham Arms are no strangers to the Griffin Trophy – having been finalists a few times over the years.

"It is difficult to keep pushing the quality forward each year, particularly after 15 years in the same site, but Jon has done just that in every aspect of the business.

"The bedrooms at The Wykeham are immaculate with nice touches to personalise people’s stays.

"The menus are filled with mouth-watering dishes and the extensive wine selection has never looked better.

"Breaking into new markets, such as weddings and receptions, as well as hosting events such as wine and food pairing evenings, means that Jon and the team are constantly appealing to new customers – inviting everyone in to experience the warmth of The Wykeham Arms. And I know that they’ll all want to return.

"Congratulations to Jon and the team – this is a well-deserved win for a truly exceptional pub."

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Jon said: "I’m over the moon to have won the Griffin Trophy. We’ve been in the final before and won our category more than once – but to win the overall trophy is a real honour.

"I can’t wait to see that shiny trophy behind the bar at The Wykeham.

"A big thank you to my whole team – this is a great reflection of their hard work – and I’m looking forward to showing off the Griffin Trophy to all my customers from global tourists to the College masters."

The Wykeham Arms also won the Best Hotel/Inn category.

Other category winners include The Coach & Horses in Soho (Best City Pub), The Holly Bush in Hampstead (Best Town/Local Pub), and The Berkeley Arms in Chichester (Best Country/Village Pub).