Coventry’s oldest pub up for national award

Multi-award winning pub, The Old Windmill, located on Spon Street, has been named as one of the six national finalists for its Licensee of the Year Award.

Pub landlady Michelle Gilmour has been battling it out for the award since January by showing the judges from The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) of how she have been developing the business, the team and the local community.

The Old Windmill is situated in the heart of the city which has three original fireplaces that you can relax by on a cold winter’s day. Care has been taken by the team to preserve original features while keeping the décor to a very high standard, making the pub a perfect blend of old and new. It was recently voted by our readers to be the city’s best pub.

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Visitors say a visit to the Old Windmill is an experience, as you can take a tour around the pub with a staff member where you can sample classic ales, wine from their collection or choose from over 35 gins. The heart of the Windmill is cask ale, with seven hand pulls and offers four permanent and three guests beers.

The pub also has achieved a reputation for it’s infamous pork pies and cheeseboards which are locally sourced, with cheese matured all the way from the Somerset caves to the mountains of Snowdonia.

Beer festivals are also held throughout the year, with live music and displays from the local Morris men and Coventry Mummers; ordinary members of the community who come to sing, act, dance and play instruments. There is also a pop-up beer garden open on evenings and weekends, furnished with chairs, wood tables, umbrellas and bay trees.