The Thimble Inn, Piddlehinton, has been named beer drinkers’ pub of the year by the West Dorset branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
CAMRA competition co-ordinator Kylie Stroud (left) with Thimble landlady Emma-Jayne Trawicki. Photograph: Rich Gabe
The award is presented to the pub that has consistently served the best well-kept cask-conditioned real ale throughout the last year. It has different qualification qualities than the branch’s pub of the year competition.
CAMRA members judge throughout the year through a national beer scoring system. Every month the scores are presented at branch meetings by an unbiased coordinator, and over the past year the Thimble Inn has led the way, standing out as consistently good.
“We are incredibly grateful to have been chosen as CAMRA’s beer drinkers’ pub of the year,” said Thimble Inn licensee Emma-Jayne Trawicki.
“Our team work tirelessly to make the Thimble a welcoming environment where everyone can come and enjoy a good pint. It is fantastic that we have been recognised by CAMRA for this.”
West Dorset CAMRA spokesperson Rich Gabe said: ”Overall beer quality in West Dorset is getting consistently better year by year, and this award is a sheer reflection of the good cellarmanship at the Thimble Inn.
“This is only the second year we have presented this award, and there was a lot of strong competition. Well done to Emma-Jayne and her fantastic team.”
Last year’s winner of the competition, The Sailor’s Return at Chaldon Herring, has maintained its place in The Good Beer Guide for selling excellent consistent beer.
Other pubs in West Dorset which have made the 2026 guide include Pursuit of Hoppiness, Ropemakers, Tiger Inn, and The Woodman in Bridport, with the Rock Point in Lyme Regis.
The county town of Dorchester has The Bakers Arms, Copper Street Brewery Tap, and Tom Browns, and The Digby Tap, in Sherborne, is a guide regular.
Weymouth has The Doghouse micropub and The Dolphin Hotel, and also listed is The George Inn, Portland. If you wish to venture more rural, there’s The Fox at Corscombe or Winyards Gap, Chedington heading towards the Crewkerne/Somerset border, or The Three Horseshoes at Burton Bradstock, along the Weymouth to Bridport coast road.
