The Castle in Ealing has been named one of the joint winners of Fuller’s annual Glorious Gardens competition, sharing the top prize with The Ship Inn in Wokingham. The contest, now in its fourth year, celebrates the best pub gardens among Fuller’s 153 tenanted inns across the country.
Publican Sam Malham, who runs The Castle in St Mary’s Road, was presented with a plaque and cash prize at an awards ceremony hosted by last year’s winner, Paul Marsh, at The Queen’s Head in Chesham. The competition’s final round saw five shortlisted pubs visited by Fuller’s Tenanted Director, Iain Rippon, who praised the ingenuity and attention to detail displayed by the finalists.
Mr Malham said: “I’m delighted to have won this competition. We’re really proud of our outdoor space and have worked hard to make it comfortable all year round. It’s a small garden but we’ve used every corner to maximise its potential. I’d especially like to thank my colleague Dean Packman, whose hard work has made it what it is today.”
Mr Rippon described this year’s result as the closest yet, with both winners impressing judges through imaginative design and community spirit. He highlighted gardens that support biodiversity through insect hotels and wildflower patches, as well as those growing herbs and vegetables for use in pub dishes and drinks.
