IPSWICH'S Fat Cat Freehouse is celebrating the title of the coveted "Pub of the Year" award by the Ipswich and East Suffolk Campaign For Real Ale.The pub, in Spring Road, beat off strong competition from many of the county's favourite hostelries to gain the award for the second time in six years of trading.

IPSWICH'S Fat Cat Freehouse is celebrating the title of the coveted "Pub of the Year" award by the Ipswich and East Suffolk Campaign For Real Ale.

The pub, in Spring Road, beat off strong competition from many of the county's favourite hostelries to gain the award for the second time in six years of trading.

Supping a celebratory pint of ale, landlord John Keatley said: "It's a lovely affirmation of what we set out to do six years ago that the county's most discerning drinkers have voted the Fat Cat their favourite pub.

"The big brewers and pub chains claim that Real Ale is dying, but the success of the Fat Cat shows that if you have wonderful staff serving top-quality ale from craft brewers, people will travel for miles to drink it.

"Not being tied to any one brewery means that we can serve a wide range of beers, not just from Suffolk's 16 breweries, but also from those in adjacent counties as well as favourites from all over the nation."

The pub was built in the late 19th century as the Spring Tavern.

The building was rescued from a state of near-dereliction in 1996 to become the Fat Cat.

Two dozen real ales are available at any one time, together with a selection of Belgian beers and other quality continental beers such as Budweiser Budvar.

East Anglian beers regularly served include brews from Iceni (Ickburgh), Old Chimneys (Market Weston), Adnam's (Southwold), Mauldon's (Sudbury), Crouch Vale (South Woodham Ferrers), Mighty Oak (Maldon), Old Chimneys (Market Weston) and Nethergate (Clare)

Guest beers come from as far afield as Somerset (Exmoor Brewery), West Yorkshire (Timothy Taylor), London (Fuller's), Wiltshire (Hop Back) and Edinburgh (Caledonian)

There are two ancient hop-bines growing in the pub's garden; the hops have been used by Old Chimneys brewery to brew special beers for the Fat Cat.

Weblink: www.beermad.org.uk/fatcat/