The Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide – the UK’s best-selling beer and pub guide which is celebrating its 52nd edition – features 22 pubs on the Isle of Wight, including three new entries.
The Guide, which lists 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, is the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints in the nations’ pubs – and is on sale now.
Joining the Isle of Wight listings in the latest edition are Freshwater’s Vine Inn, Shorwell’s Crown Inn and Yarmouth’s Wheatsheaf Inn.
Vine Inn
Close to Freshwater Bay and the Needles, the CAMRA entry explains that this “splendid former George Gale public house” has an open fire and a separate dining area.
Crown Inn
In the picturesque village of Shorwell is this 300-year-old hostelry offering real ales, always including one from Yates’, and good home-cooked pub food, says CAMRA.
Wheatsheaf Inn
CAMRA explains that this large, spacious old coaching inn is twinned with the popular Red Lion in Freshwater and is “well worth a visit”.
Interesting and useful info
The Guide outlines what makes each of the entries so special. Such as the Anchor Inn in Cowes dating back to back in 1704, when it was originally the Three Trumpeters, or The Red Lion ion Freshwater dating back to the 11th century.
Newport Ale House is listed as ‘the’ smallest pub on the Island, whilst Ventnor’s Volunteer is listed as ‘one’ of the smallest.
Of the 22 Isle of Wight listings in the guide, with Ryde boasting the most with four listings, followed by Cowes, Newport and Ventnor with three each. Other listings are dotted around the Island.
Pubs continue to battle against the odds
Despite the tough trading environment facing a lot of licensees, CAMRA says pubs continue to battle against the odds, and the 2025 Guide boasts over 900 pubs that are new to this edition.
Thousands of CAMRA volunteers give up their time every year to select the best of the best across the UK. As well as covering 289 of the very best pubs across the Channel Isles, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Wiltshire, it includes 70 new pub entries across the counties.
Buy your copy
Due to publishing restrictions OnTheWight is not able to name all 22 pubs, but the latest edition of The Good Beer Guide is on sale now.
