A MICROPUB has been presented with the 2018 Gwent Pub of the Year award at a ceremony.

Mayor of Chepstow, Cllr Dale Rooke and Martyn Groucutt, Gwent Camra chairman, attended the awards evening at The Queen's Head in Chepstow on Monday evening.

The Queen's Head was named winner in the town pub category in the awards run by the Gwent branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, after impressing judges with the quality and range of its real ales.

Its warm welcome, value for money and community involvement also scored highly, as did the commitment of landlord Glen Ellis to the quality and variety of his beers and ciders.

Mr Ellis said: "I'm absolutely delighted to win Gwent Pub of the Year for the third year running.

"To win this award once was a great feeling, but to get the hat trick just feels like a dream come true.

"I'd like to thank all of my customers for their continued support, it would not have been possible without them."

Cllr Rooke congratulated the pub on its achievement.

He said: "I was fortunate to be chairman of the planning committee when Mr Ellis first came to us.

"We were impressed with the presentation he gave and since then it has become a real hub for real ale drinkers in the area."

CAMRA members across the Gwent branch voted for two 2018 pubs of the year – best country pub and best town pub.

The Queen’s Head won the latter for the third year in a row and went on to gain the crown of overall best pub in Gwent.

It now goes forward to the all-Wales pub of the year judging this summer.

Meanwhile Gwent’s 2018 Country Pub of the Year has been named by CAMRA as the Goose and Cuckoo in Upper Llanover, south of Abergavenny.

The micropub concept reflects the basic one-room beerhouses that slaked thirsts across urban Britain before post-war redevelopment, brewery takeovers and changing customer expectations saw them disappear.

The award for Country Pub of the Year was also presented on Monday evening.