A PUB in Hillesley has scooped the South West CAMRA Pub of The Year award.

In just under two years of taking the Fleece Inn on, the current tenants, Karen McGeoch and Rod Undy have transformed the place into a bustling community hub.

Rod said: "We are absolutely thrilled to have come this far in such a short space of time."

Gareth MacDonald, regional director for South West CAMRA said: “It is truly incredible too see how much work Rod and Karen have put into this pub over the last two years.

"Supported by very friendly welcoming staff, and an excellent choice of ales and ciders, this rural pub offers something for everyone and has become a genuine hub in the community.

"This is all the more remarkable given the lack of public transport locally.

"I am genuinely delighted that all this hard work has resulted in CAMRA branches from the region bestowing on it this well deserved award.”

The accolade is a mark of the passion and dedication the couple have demonstrated in turning a failing business around.

Rod said: "The community purchased the pub in 2012 and for four years tried to run it themselves, but things did not go to plan and eventually they decided to hand the business over to tenants."

Since taking over, the couple have worked to improve their product range to appeal to a wider customer base.

Additional hand pumps were added so that they could broaden their range of ales, their wine list has been extended and the quality of wines improved.

Karen said: "It’s always been a bit of a ‘bug bear’ with me that wine is so often overlooked in pubs."

Rod added: "The same is true with soft drinks, so we have introduced some interesting brands, including excellent non alcoholic beer and cider to safe guard drivers."

In addition to a great drink selection, the couple both believe that creating the right atmosphere is crucial.

"From the moment a customer walks through the door they should feel welcome. Just a simple smile goes a long way," said Karen.

Also on their agenda was the introduction of regular live music.

Not to be overlooked though is the support from the community of Hillesley itself.

Rod said: "Since we arrived, volunteers and shareholders have organised our regular activities, such as quiz nights, vinyl nights, acoustic and open mic nights.

"In particular our annual beer festival and anniversary celebrations would not be viable without the support of our volunteers."