Rural inn near Harborough has been crowned the best pub in the East Midlands

A rural inn near Market Harborough has been crowned the best pub in the East Midlands.

Staff at the Tollemache Arms at Harrington are ecstatic after it’s been named one of the 15 regional winners at the annual National Pub & Bar Awards.

The historic rustic inn has carried off the honour weeks after being hailed the best pub in Northamptonshire in the tough national competition.

Ecstatic landlord Joe Buckley said after winning that accolade: "We are super proud that we have been awarded the county winner award.

“We are very lucky to have such a beautiful large garden.

“But it is all about attention to detail and the brilliant team that are working here.”

He added: “They are doing an amazing job with all the pressure that has been on them since reopening.”

The Tollemache Arms has been saluted after all aspects of the business was meticulously analysed and scrutinised by judges.

Along with thousands of pubs all over the UK, the village inn has had to tackle and come through 18 months of Covid-19 restrictions and closures throughout the pandemic.

Both staff and customers have had to adapt to Track and Trace, facemasks and table service app as well as multiple lockdowns.

The Tollemache Arms has also offered a drive-through, takeaway kits and a cocktail delivery service which has gone down a treat with their army of regulars.