SOLIHULL West and Shirley MP Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst raised a glass at the winners of his Best Local Pub Award 2025.
The competition, which received 160 entries, threw a spotlight on the favourite watering holes of residents, from small independents to family friendly locals, from gastro pubs to CAMRA recommended hostelries.
In the end, two pubs shone through for the MP – The Shaking Hand in Shirley and The Blue Bell on Warings Green Road – despite the latter falling just feet out of the Solihull West and Shirley consitituency
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP said: “Residents in Solihull West and 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 and 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 andnational insurance contributions. That is why it is more important than ever to support our brilliant locals.”
