STEVE and Nicky Wragg, the licensees of the Green Dragon at Market Lavington, were surprised and delighted to be named Wadworth’s community pub of the year at last week’s presentation evening organised by the Devizes brewers.
Mrs Wragg, who has run the pub in the High Street with her husband for the last nine years, said: “We knew we were being nominated for something, but we had no idea what. “It was a lovely surprise.”. The couple support many local groups from the village’s junior football team to the local book club. They also offer a particular service to their older customers. Mrs Wragg said: “We take meals round to older people in the village when they can’t get out themselves. “It is not a meals-on-wheels service. It is just something we do.” Before they arrived at the Green Dragon, they ran the Cavalier in Eastleigh Road, Devizes, for nine and a half years as very much a community pub. Mr Wragg said: “It’s important when you get put in the middle of a community to get involved, otherwise what’s the point?” Regular charity events are a feature of the pubs and their regulars raised £3,371 for Dorothy House Hospice Care over the last five years through a variety of events. The pub hosts monthly craft fairs and is the venue for committee meetings of many village groups.
Among other pubs in the Devizes area to receive awards last week was the Greyhound at Bromham which won the prestigious Managed Cellar Master – Perfect Pint prize in recognition of the high quality of its cask ale and ale keeping.
Publicans Louise and Kevin Fraser received their award from Adrian Wood of Wadworth’s.
Mr Fraser said: “Although we knew we had a high standard of cellar keeping, we couldn’t believe we’d won out of all the establishments competing. It was very satisfying.”
Other local winners included the Barge at Seend Cleeve, which took the award for Food Pub of the Year - Managed House and the Raven at Poulshot, which was runner-up in the Food Pub of Year – Tenants.
Gazette and Herald - Sunday 18 December 2011