The Arkell’s Strawberry Thief, Swindon has been awarded the New Build Award in CAMRA’s Pub Design Awards, New Build category and today played host to a special certificate presentation to recognise the win.
Local CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) branch, represented by Richard James (Chair), Kevin Galton, Bill Bendall, Danny Grey, and Bob Major, took the opportunity to honour this remarkable achievement and joined George & Alex Arkell and pub Managers, Tom & Mairead Titcombe, at The Strawberry Thief in Tadpole Garden Village.
The Strawberry Thief, a flagship public house of Arkell’s Brewery, located in the new development of Tadpole Garden Village on the edge of Swindon, has been recognized for its ambitious and innovative design. This modern pub, was two and a half years in the making; it opened in June 2022, and has already become a standout in the pub industry. Arkell’s invested over 5 million pounds into the build of the new neighbourhood pub which has over 400 covers inside & out, making it one of Arkell’s biggest pubs. The Swindon site is located on Mackay Crescent, Tadpole Garden Village, SN25 2PY and looks out onto green space and lakes.
Representatives from the Swindon & North Wilts CAMRA Branch were present at the certificate presentation acknowledging their appreciation for Arkell’s Brewery’s dedication to architectural excellence and design innovation in the pub industry.
George Arkell, Managing Director of Arkell’s Brewery Ltd, expressed his excitement about the New Build Award. “We are thrilled that The Arkell’s Strawberry Thief pub has won the New Build Award from CAMRA. Our incredible team, including Clark & Maslin, Edmont Complete Solutions, and Concorde BGW Group, have done a fantastic job helping us create a fabulous community pub. Wherever possible, we tried to use local suppliers on the project. Our goal from the outset was to create a contemporary pub that the local community could be proud of, with a fantastic bar at its heart serving all our beers.”
Ian Maslin from Clark and Maslin, the Architectural Practice based in Malmesbury said: “Enormous thought and effort has gone into the design, layout and fenestration so the building compliments the existing setting of Tadpole Garden Village. Natural materials have been used throughout to provide a sustainable building that will stand the testament of time. We hope the pub will achieve a balance between being a destination pub and neighbourhood pub; it features vaulted ceilings, open fires, a welcoming bar, panoramic views and a fantastic garden overlooking the village green.”
CAMRA’s Awards Director Laura Emson, remarked: “We hope beer-lovers across the country will seek out these examples of excellence and plan visits to them whether they are local or just visiting. It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the pub industry, so let’s all support our locals this year and raise a glass to these shining examples in pub excellence.”
For further information about Arkell’s Brewery and its diverse range of craft beers and pubs, please visit www.arkells.com
