Woolpack pub surprise pick

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 18

Woolpack pub surprise pick

British beer drinkers have voted “Emmerdale Farm’s” pub, The Woolpack, Britain’s best fictional boozer. Five times more people would rather drink there than at The Rovers Return in “Coronation Street,” according to a nation-wide survey.

The Campaign for Real Ale conducted the survey to find the best makebelieve pub in Britain. Surprisingly, The Woolpack gained as many votes as the total cast for The Queen Vic in “East Enders,” The Bull in 8.8. C. Radio’s veteran serial “The Archers,” and The Rovers Return. In fact, The Rovers came bottom in the poll, according to the “Star” newspaper. The results surprised C.A.M.R.A., said a spokesman, Mr David Fryer. “We imagined everyone would want to pop in to The Queen Vic because it’s in the most watched show on telly,” he said. “But our survey shows most people want to drink with friendly characters like Amos, Mr Wilks and Seth in a true country pub.” Mr Fryer said C.A.M.R.A. believed The Rovers Return had come out of the survey so badly because the pub took away its real ale handpumps some time ago, and the characters do not cppm fpal The Woolpack scored a 50 per cent approval rating in the survey, The Queen Vic a 25 per cent approval rating, The Bull 15 per cent, and The Rovers Return 10 per cent. — TONY VERDON