A STAFFORD haven for lovers of real ale has set hearts pumping after being named pub of the year.

The Sun Inn was crowned Heart of Staffordshire CAMRA Pub of the Year just three years after it was purchased and revamped by Stafford brothers Keith and Dave Bott’s Titanic Brewery, which has gained a reputation for bringing a new lease of life to derelict pubs, bucking a national trend of pub closures.

The award was presented to the pub on Lichfield Road, during its Bank Holiday Beer Festival.

Manager, Stephen Aukim, said: “It is great to receive the honour and it is a tribute to the quality and consistency of the beer we sell.

“We generally have 12 different real ale pumps on offer, including a selection of Titanic Brewery’s regular and seasonal beers and guest beers from around the UK.”

A spokesman from CAMRA said the Sun Inn had gone from “strength to strength” despite being deemed “unviable” by many experts before it was purchased by Titanic.