With just over a week remaining for people to vote for their favourite local in the Standard Pub of the Year competition voting has reached a ferocious level, with thousands of people clamouring to ensure that their favourite pub wins the accolade.

Votes are pouring in for the pubs with the warmest welcome, the best food and the finest ales, and it’s set to be closer than ever: every day another hundred entries slide into the paper’s inbox.

A full list of the shortlisted pubs appears at the bottom of this story, along with details of how to vote, and over the last five weeks we have been looking at each pub in detail.

This week we visit the Greyhound in Siddington, near Cirencester.

The team at the Greyhound say that they are proud of their pub, which they describe as having “a cosy atmosphere, and lots of character”.

Situated just a stone’s throw from the pretty Cotswold town of Cirencester, The Greyhound sits right beside the famous lakes and water parks nearby.

It’s excellent position, coupled with its wide array of home-cooked foods and fine wines, and its reputation for great hospitality means that it was a popular choice when the paper’s annual competition was launched.

One reader told us that the pub was so special to them that when she and her husband celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last year, they chose the pub to hold a sit down meal.

“My husband and I celebrated our golden wedding anniversary at the Greyhound last year,” Mary Painter told us.

“We had over 40 people sit down to a wonderful lunch to celebrate 50 years since we walked down the aisle. It was a wonderful lunch, absolutely PERFECT!”

And while others did not have quite such a heart-warming

story to share with our readers, the huge number of entries that we received echoed here sentiment, this special pub is a

great place to get together with friends and family, whether just to enjoy the sun in the beer garden, or to eat some of their delicious food.

“The food really is excellent,” Mary said.

“It’s so nicely presented and they can cater for all of your needs, like being gluten free.”

With a reputation for hospitality, good food and a great atmosphere it is no surprise that the pub seems a firm favourite with our readers, but it is also worth mention the huge amount of fundraising that the team, and their customers, do for charities.

“They get great results too,” Mary said.

“It’s just a wonderful place to enjoy a good night out with friends. You MUST try it.”

Do you agree with Mary? To vote for your favourite then visit the Standard website, but be quick because voting closes in just over a week!

The following rules apply:

  • Only one vote will be accepted per email address
  • Readers can only vote for the six shortlisted pubs
  • Voting will remain open until midnight Sunday, March 31. All votes received after that time will not be accepted
  • All six runners up will receive certificates
  • Landlords, managers and staff are also free to vote for their own pubs.
  • The pub with the most votes will be crowned Pub of the Year at the end of March.

The winners will be presented with our coveted trophy and certificate, as well as our special prize, a luxurious weekend for two at the historic Brocket Hall Estate in Hertfordshire.

The two-night break for two in Melbourne Lodge will include breakfast, dinner, a round of golf, and a personal tour of one of England’s finest stately homes.

The shortlist

  1. The Daneway, Sapperton
  2. The Cat & Custard Pot, Shipton Moyne
  3. The Greyhound, Siddington
  4. The Golden Farm, Cirencester
  5. The Golden Cross, Cirencester
  6. The Thames Head, Tetbury Road, Cirencester