Top marks for Lancaster pub The Borough as it scoops our award

Photo Neil Cross
Hannah and Martin Horner of The Borough, which has been named Pub of the Year — Photo Neil Cross Hannah and Martin Horner of The Borough, which has been named Pub of the Year

The Borough came out on topin our competition, with The Morecambe Hotel in Morecambe being named as runner-up.

“We want to say thank you to all the customers who voted for us,” said Martin Horner, who owns the pub along with his wife Hannah.

The couple bought the building that housed The Blob Shop in Dalton Square in 2006, transforming it into one of Lancaster’s favourite bars – The Borough.

As well as investing heavily into new bedrooms and suites at The Borough, the couple bought the lease of The Slyne Lodge last year, investing £400,000 to renovate it and transform it into The Lodge, which opened last August.

The couple now have 85 staff working across the two locations.

Martin and Hannah have continued to improve on the facilities available at The Borough too.

It recently opened a residential space which currently runs at 94 per cent occupancy, with a townhouse containing three more suites due to open behind the pub later this month, bringing the number of rooms available to 12. The garden is also due to be redesigned to expand the outdoor eating facilities.

The Borough continues to host its popular comedy nights every Sunday, and its on-site brewery has now been open for almost three years and has gone from strength to strength in that time.

“It’s all going really well,” Martin said. “We are always looking at new opportunities and will keep on doing what we are doing.

“There are still plenty of great pubs that are doing well in Lancaster, offering good beer and food.

“We use local produce wherever possible; we try to find the best local places we can to get our produce from.”

“We are just lucky that we have got a good place that has been able to change with the times.

“The Borough is in a fantastic location too, which helps.”

“We are a local, family-friendly independent freehouse and I think people really like that,” Hannah added.

The Borough will have been open for 10 years in April, with Martin and Hannah having taken it over from Yates’s, who ran a Blob Shop on the premises. “We will be having a party over the Easter weekend to celebrate,” said Martin. “We’ll have lots going on.”

To find out more about the anniversary events, go to The Borough’s Facebook page or email [email protected].