HISTORIC Harwich pubs dating back hundreds of years have scooped the two top awards from Tendring Camra this year.

The Hanover Inn and Globe Inn pubs, which are within a mile of each other in old Harwich, have been presented with the pub of the year awards for 2019.

The 300-year-old Hanover, in Church Street, was chosen as the best real ale pub in the district by members of the Campaign for Real Ale, and the Globe in King’s Quay Street was picked as best cider pub.

Each year beer-lovers visit the district’s pubs to decide on their favourites, which are shortlisted and then voted on.

Rob and Teresa Ranson, who run the Hanover, said they were delighted.

Rob said: “We are immensely proud. To achieve First Place in the Tendring Campaign for Real Ale Pub of the Year Competition 2019 is a real honour and makes all the hard work, refurbishment, time and effort all worth while.

“We are over the moon. We took over three years ago and we have refurbished the kitchen and the bar, we’ve spent a lot of money.”

The award makes a hattrick of good news for the couple, who got married in May and welcomed Rob’s first grandchild into the world this week.

Rob added: “It’s been quite a year so far.”

The Hanover was built during the reign of George I as accommodation and became licensed for ale and cider in the 1850s.

In October 1888 the pub was almost destroyed when a paraffin lamp fell onto furniture and a rug, setting fire to to the dining room. A dairy was attached to the Hanover at the time as the landlord owned a herd of cows, which grazed on the slopes of the Redoubt Fort.

Peter Butler, chairman of Tendring Camra, said: “It’s a bit unique this year that both winners are in Harwich and are so close together when you consider the branch covers from Manningtree to Brightlingsea.

“They are scored on several categories - the usual things you would look for in a good pub.”

Second place in this real ale pub of the year was the Maybush in Great Oakley and third went to the Old Lifeboat House in Clacton. The Hanover scooped second place in the cider pub of the year and the White Hart in Weeley Heath came third.