The Red Lion in Sidbury has been named the Herald’s Pub of the Year after receiving the highest number of votes from readers.

Readers were asked to nominate their favourite pub in April, and then a shortlist of seven pubs was drawn up for a final vote.

The shortlist consisted of The Marine, The Anchor, The Swan, The Balfour Arms, The Volunteer, The Blue Ball and The Red Lion – and The Red Lion won.

Landlord Richard Spiteri said: “We’re over the moon – it’s brilliant.”

The good news came shortly after the seventh anniversary of Richard and his wife Bib taking over the Red Lion, which happened in May 2016. They now run it with one full-time staff member, Rachel Cross, part-timer Eve Barnes, and help from their two sons Donnie and Mickey and Bib’s mother Josie Millsop.

Richard said: “We’ve really gone from strength to strength. We’ve got really good local support and, especially at this time of year, a lot of holidaymakers, a lot of repeat visitors

“There’s always something going on here. We’ve got a monthly quiz night in aid of Devon Air Ambulance – this week we had 10 teams with up to seven people in each, so you’re talking about a lot of people turning up on a Tuesday night. We raised £60.”

He said the pub also hosts book clubs, the local bellringers every Thursday night, and card-playing nights for euchre and cribbage. It has men’s and women’s darts teams and three skittles teams.

During the Covid pandemic The Red Lion played a vital role in the Sidbury community. Richard, who also signed up as an NHS Responder, said: “We were the hub for people who couldn’t get out and about and needed shopping. We had a lot of people phoning up to go and get food and medications, and on a Friday and Saturday nights we did takeaway food which was massively well supported – we’ve never done so many meals in a night as we did during Covid.”

The Red Lion prides itself on offering a variety of fine real ales and excellent home-cooked food, which is available 12pm to 2pm and 6pm to 9pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. It has an attractive courtyard beer garden. Accommodation is available in four en-suite letting rooms.