On Friday 14th March 2025, local MP, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, announced the winners of his Best Local Pub Award 2025. The competition, which received 160 entries, threw a spotlight on the favourite watering holes of Solihull West & Shirley residents.
With so many excellent pubs, choosing a winner proved a challenging task. From small independents to family friendly locals, from gastro pubs to CAMRA recommended hostelries – there was something for everyone. In the end, two pubs shone through: The Shaking Hand in Shirley and The Blue Bell on Warings Green Road.
Both pubs offered something different. The Shaking Hand a small independent, family owned Micro Bar, celebrates its 6th birthday this month. With a range and ever changing beers on tap, it is a great venue with a really friendly atmosphere. The Blue Bell, situated alongside the Stratford-upon-Avon canal, strictly falls a few feet outside the constituency. However, such was the vociferous nature of the support for this charming real ale and cider house amongst Solihull West & Shirley residents, it felt churlish not to give it a special mention.
Announcing the winners, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP said:
Residents in Solihull West & Shirley are blessed with a host of fantastic pubs on their doorstep. I was incredibly impressed by the responses to my competition and it was wonderful to see such strong support for our hospitality sector.
Pubs are an enormously important part of our national fabric. A place to meet and socialise, they form an integral component of our cultural rituals and rich history of storytelling. For me, there can be nothing more quintessentially English than a pint of warm Real Ale on a summer’s day.
Along with many others, The Shaking Hand and the Blue Bell are an essential part of our local community, serving residents from across Solihull West & Shirley and from further afield. I went to visit the competition winners last Friday and celebrated alongside staff with a perfectly poured pint. However, in recent months, the hospitality sector has been facing significant challenges as a consequence of increases in business rates and national insurance contributions. That is why it is more important than ever to support our brilliant locals.
