A COMMUNITY-owned pub, that was saved by determined residents almost a decade ago, has been named as one the UK's top four pubs.

The George & Dragon pub in Hudswell, near Richmond, which was saved by residents who raised more than £200,000 in 2009, was named by the Campaign for Real Ale pressure group (CAMRA) this month.

The award-winning pub is no stranger to winning impressive titles, for the past four years it has been named CAMRA's Yorkshire Pub of the Year, while the village of Hudswell itself was named Yorkshire Village of the Year by The Dalesman.

Pub landlord Stuart Miller, who's been involved with the George & Dragon since 2014, said the "consistency" of big award wins demonstrated everyone's efforts over the past decade.

The Northern Echo:

He said: "What’s great about this is it shows that we are keeping the consistency, we have won the Yorkshire Pub of the Year for the last four years, which is amazing and to get to the next stage – to the last four."

Reaching the top four is the last stage before CAMRA names its overall winner of the National Pub of the Year, which the pub is now firmly in the running to achieve.

Mr Miller said: "It’s brilliant really.

“We are a tiny little pub in the Dales, for such a little village on a road to no where to get recognition is amazing.

"We have been here for five and a half years, it reopened in 2010. We took over in 2014 and in summer it will have been ten years as a community pub."

The Northern Echo:

After the pub was closed in 2008, villagers claimed Hudswell "had not been the same" since their only pub shut shop and pledged to save it.

By the end of 2009, residents purchased the abandoned pub from Commercial First Bank, which accepted the residents' offer of £209,000.

Andrea Briers, National Pub of the Year Coordinator at CAMRA, said: “It is amazing to see so many well-respected pubs return to this prestigious competition to compete for the ultimate title of the best pub in Britain."

The George & Dragon is up against The Swan with Two Necks in Pendleton, near Clitheroe, The Bell in Aldworth, Berkshire and fellow community-owned pub, The Red Lion in Preston.

Ms Briers added: "We wish them – and our newcomer – the very best of luck.

"It is a huge honour to come this far in the competition and be named one of the best four pubs in the country, and all four finalists should be very proud.”