Three in a row for popular Ellesmere Port micropub as it makes Good Beer Guide 2025

-Credit: (Image: Bondies Bar)
-Credit: (Image: Bondies Bar)


A much-loved Ellesmere Port micropub is celebrating after making it into the highly-prestigious Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide for the third year running. Bondies Bar on Chester Road, Whitby, has been a huge hit with locals since it opened its doors back in 2021.

The popular venue, which is owned and run by Dave Thomas and his family, thanked "all the amazing local independent breweries" they work with for making the award possible. "It's an amazing achievement for our small family team," said a delighted Dave.

"Also, a big thank you to all the amazing local independent breweries. Without their beers we would not be in the Good Beer Guide." The micropub's name is a nod to the area where it's located, which in the past was known as Bondies Hill to many residents.

The nickname refers to John Bond, the one-time landlord of the since demolished Sportsmans Arms. The site of the old pub, across the road from where Bondies Bar now stands, has since been turned into apartments.

The Good Beer Guide - the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide - is celebrating its 52nd edition with not one but two covers featuring two of the UK’s favourite locals - Coronation Street’s Rovers Return Inn and Emmerdale’s Woolpack. The guide lists 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK and is the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints.

A total of 71 of those are based in Cheshire, with 17 new additions to this year's guide. Information in the guide is collated by thousands of CAMRA volunteers who give up their time every year to select the best of the best across the UK.

CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said: "The Rovers Return Inn and the Woolpack represent the UK’s love of their local, and to have them featured on the covers for this year’s Guide is very exciting. CAMRA’s mission is to ensure support from the Government as well as tangible legislation to protect pubs in this country. By next year’s edition of the Guide, we want to be talking about the beer and pub trade growing with the support of communities and parliament alike."

NEWSLETTER: Sign up for CheshireLive email direct to your inbox here