The King and Castle pub and restaurant, based at the Severn Valley Railway’s Kidderminster station, has earned a listing in the Good Beer Guide 2024. Published on 28 September by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, the leading guide recognises the best pubs in the country, chosen by independent consumers.

The prestigious listing has given an extra boost to the well-known Kidderminster pub, which is enjoying a welcome resurgence in popularity, as manager Paul Corner explained:

“Being in the Good Beer Guide gives us an opportunity to be highlighted to a wider range of people who are interested in high quality real ale. Like many pubs, we struggled post-Covid, but now we’re really seeing things pick up again. Local trade is also really important to us, and we’re getting great support from our regulars. I’m feeling excited about the future, and looking forward to a very busy time leading up to Christmas this year.

“The King and Castle is fortunate in its location, as part of the Severn Valley Railway. Our local trade is added to every week by people coming to travel on the heritage line. Right now, we’re in the middle of the Autumn Diesel Bash, which is bringing lots of people, many of whom are very keen to sample real ales that are local to this area.”

The pub has recently revamped its menu to include basket meals and Sunday lunches, and has started putting on fortnightly quiz nights, with the next one taking place on 3 October. It specializes in real ale from a range of local brewers, including Bewdley Brewery, Hobsons, Bathams and Brew 61.