The Firs Club in Codsall, South Staffordshire, picked up the big win in CAMRA’s Club of the Year competition, scooping the Overall Winner national Club of the Year award, announced publicly on January 31st. The Firs have long impressed in the local competition, having won Wolverhampton CAMRA Club of the Year nine years in a row and more recently, achieving West Midlands Club of the Year for 2023 and 2024.
On February 1, CAMRA joined the Firs Club’s team and club committee and members to present the club with the award plaque. Anna Reynolds, the club’s manager, admitted her disbelief on discovering the win.
“I didn’t think we’d get this far – but we have.”
Clearly emotional, Anna went on to thank the team at the Firs, from the committee to the bar staff all the way to the gardener, and the CAMRA members who use the club on a regular basis.
The Firs Club is the first Wolverhampton branch venue to have won a CAMRA national level award since the Great Western won the National Pub of the Year award 1991 – 33 years previously. The award, a gold plaque featuring the new CAMRA logo, was presented to Anna and team by CAMRA Club of the Year Coordinator Phil Gregg. Phil explained the year long process of selection and judging that leads both clubs and pubs to the final stage of the annual competition.
In attendance were club members, family of the Firs team, CAMRA members from the local branch and further afield and some visitors from CAMRA’s National Executive including CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins, Pub & Club Campaigns Director Gary Timmins and West Midlands Regional Director Shelly Bentley.
We asked Anna what she plans to do next – her immediate concern is finding a place for the Firs Club’s ever growing number of CAMRA awards!
You can find out more about the Firs Club including their opening hours, here.
