National award for Walled City Brewery in Northern Ireland

Walled City Brewery in Derry has been named the Northern Ireland regional winner in the annual UK National Pub and Bar Awards.

The small brewery, which also operates a successful bar and restaurant on-site near Derry's city centre, has developed an award winning range of craft beers. It has also won a Restaurant Association of Ireland award.

James Huey, an experienced brewer who founded the craft brewery in 2015, says: "Wow… we weren't expecting this. It's a marvellous success to be named as the best pub and bar in Northern Ireland and among the UK's best in such a prestigious competition."

The small batch brewery was named from around 94 pubs and bars from around the UK in the competition run by Pub and Bar magazine.

"What makes the National Pub & Bar Awards so special is that everyone in the event was there to celebrate being the best in their county," says Tristan O'Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine.

"The occasion is an opportunity for the whole of the UK to acknowledge the incredible work that these businesses do for us all - our pubs and bars are a huge asset to local communities, as well as the whole of the country.

The National Pub & Bar Awards 2018 is sponsored by Samsung and its supporting partners are Jack Rabbit, Budweiser, Lamb Weston, Nescafé Azera and Walkers. Walled City was among 15 regional winners.

Walled City was established by Mr Huey and wife Louise and was the first brewery in Derry in almost a century.