CHEERS! Clacton’s Old Lifeboat House pub has been named as Tendring’s pub of the year ... for the third year running.

The popular pub, in Marine Parade East, was voted as the best boozer in the district by Tendring’s branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.

It made a shortlist which included the Alma Inn and New Bell Inn in Harwich, Brightlingsea’s Railway Tavern and Clacton’s Moon and Starfish.

Hat-trick winning Landlord Ron Stephenson said: “I’m ecstatic – we are the first pub in Clacton to ever win it three times in a row.

“I’m overwhelmed with the people who voted for us, who think we are the best real ale pub.

“Real ale is back – it’s popular with younger people and older people.

“There’s so much skill that goes into the real ale industry and there are so many good real ales on the market nowadays that I would put them up against fine wines.”

Cider pub of the year was won by the Alma Inn from a shortlist including the Railway Tavern, Old Lifeboat House, Ye Olde Cherry Tree in Little Oakley and the White Hart in Weeley.

CAMRA branch chairman Jeff Luesley said it was remarkable both winners were the same as last year.

He said: “We take our Pub of the Year awards extremely seriously and there is a vigorous process simply to get on the shortlist, let alone win.

“With so many fine real ale and cider pubs throughout the Tendring district it is a truly remarkable achievement for the Old Lifeboat House and the Alma to have retained their titles.”