A COUPLE’S first pub in Berkeley has been judged as being in the top four pubs in the country.

The Salutation Inn in Ham has been awarded the position as a finalist in the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) National Pub of the Year competition.

Peter and Claire Tiley have managed The Salutation Inn for just over 18 months and will now be judged against three other pubs across the UK.

They will be judged on categories such as quality of beer and cider, community focus, atmosphere, service and décor.

Mr Tiley said: “Prior to coming to the Salutation neither of us had even pulled a pint before. My wife and I are absolutely thrilled and can’t quite believe we have reached the top four.

“We were shocked enough when we won the Dursley and District Pub of the Year at the start of the year and didn’t expect to get any further in the competition.”

The Salutation Inn, also known as The Sally, is a traditional rural pub which focuses on real ales and ciders and serves homemade food, with the aim of supporting local producers by stocking cheese and meet from suppliers in the surrounding towns.

The pub regularly brings entertainment to its customers in the form of live music, morris dancing, pianist performances and traditional pub games.

Mr and Mrs Tiley also rear their own pigs to serve up as hams and various other cuts. They currently have five Gloucestershire Old Spots and six Old Spot/Tamworth crosses, all kept in a garden yards away from the pub and call it the 'Ham from Ham Project.'

The pub has previously been awarded the Dursley & District CAMRA Pub of the Year 2014, the Gloucestershire CAMRA Pub of the Year 2014, South West Region CAMRA Pub of the Year 2014 and the position of a finalist in the Taste of Gloucestershire Food and Farming Awards earlier this year.

Mr Tiley added: “To have done so is a credit to our brilliant staff and to our customers who have been so incredibly supportive and welcoming to people as they come into the pub.

“It’s the friendliness of our customers which is what makes the pub such a warm place for people to come and socialise in.”

The pub will be up against the Windmill at Sevenoaks, the Freshfield at Formby and the Harewood Arms at Broadbottom for the title of the pub of the year in the country.

The winner of the competition will be announced in mid-February 2015.