by Ria Nortcliffe

ALL HAIL Macclesfield's real ale.

Five of the town's best pubs are raising their glasses after being named in the new edition of the Good Beer Guide put together by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

Local branch members chose the pubs following regular visits to check on the quality of the real ales on offer.

The pubs listed this year are: The Dolphin, the Old Ship Inn, Railway View, Society Rooms, and Waters Green Tavern.

Christopher Buck, manager of The Society Rooms pub,Park Green,said: I am delighted we've been recognised for the quality of our ales.

“We offer our customers an excellent range of real ales at all times, including those from regional brewers and microbrewers, as well as hosting two major annual beer festivals.

“Our staff work hard to ensure that the real ales are kept in first-class condition and the pub's inclusion in the

guide highlights this.”

Brian McDermott whose pub, the Waters Green Tavern on Waters Green, has been included in the guide for the last 13 years said: "We just run a proper pub that serves real ales instead of lots of different lagers.

“Our customers love the range of real ales on offer in the pub and staff work hard to ensure hey are kept and served in first class condition.”

John Lythaby, who has run the Dolphin pub, on Windmill Street, for the last nine years is in the guide for the eighth year in a row.

"Of course it's a real achievement, but we just get our heads down and keep ploughing away to make sure the product is always good quality," said John.

Old Ship Inn manager, Lucy Morton, who took over the running of the Beech Lane pub from her brother Jed 18 months ago, said: “This is the first time the pub has been in the guide and I think it's down to the Macclesfield Storm Brewing Company ales we provide; they're our best sellers.”

Now in its 37th year, the Good Beer Guide – often referred to as the 'beer drinker's bible' - is published by CAMRA and

covers the whole of the UK.

A CAMRA spokesman said: “These pubs all deserve their place in the Good Beer Guide.

“It's our belief that if a licensee serves an excellent pint of real ale, then everything else in the pub, including customer service, quality of food, decor and atmosphere, are likely to be of an equally high standard.”