Railway Arms pub named East Anglia’s Pub of the Year

The Railway Arms, a community-owned pub in Saffron Walden, Essex, has been named East Anglia’s Pub of the Year 2026 by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). It is one of 16 regional winners advancing to compete for the national title.

The pub faced closure in 2017 and the threat of being converted into housing. To prevent this, local residents formed the Save The Railway Arms Pub (STRAP) group. Through a community share offer and a grant from the Plunkett Foundation, the group raised sufficient funds to purchase the Victorian building in 2020.

More than 500 people currently hold shares in the pub. Following renovations, the establishment reopened in April 2021 and has been managed by Graham Pearson since May 2021. The CAMRA awards evaluate establishments based on atmosphere, décor, and the quality of their cask beer, cider, and perry.