Tap O The Brae swoop the Ayrshire Post's Pub of the Year award

The popular Annbank boozer is family-run and owned by Danny and Marion Sloan.

Triumphant Tap O The Brae staff toasted being named Ayrshire Post’s Pub of the Year 2019.

They raised a glass to all their customers who voted for them in their numbers to be crowned this year’s proud winner of the King of the pubs in Ayrshire.

The popular Annbank boozer is family-run and owned by Danny and Marion Sloan. Danny’s brother is Auchinleck Talbot manager Tommy Sloan and their mum, Nessie, who is in her 80s, and the couple’s daughter Alex Fisher, work behind the bar.

The Tap O The Brae beat off some strong competition to lift the title after almost 200 pubs and bars across the county entered this year’s competition.

The owners were on a visit to York last week when Ayrshire Post visited their premises to award them their coveted prize.

Danny’s sister, Karen Hamilton, who also works behind the bar, was delighted to pick up their prize on the couple’s behalf.

After receiving the glass trophy from Ayrshire Post editor Gary Fanning, Karen beamed: “It feels great to be named Ayrshire Post Pub of the Year. I still can’t believe we won.

“I am very happy. I must admit I was surprised.”

Tap O The Brae was described as a popular spot for aficionados of the Ayrshire pub scene.

One fan wrote, “Amazing atmosphere, the staff go above and beyond to welcome everyone in this wee haven”.

And it is not the first time that Tap of the Brae have won the Ayrshire Post’s Pub of the year competition.

In 2014, it was named been named as Pub of the Year by the Ayrshire Post and later that year a finalist in the Sunday Mail Pub of the Year

Karen added: “I would just like to thank all our customers for voting for us.

“We will celebrate this win. It was fun competition and our customers enjoyed taking part. It just shows all their efforts were worthwhile.”

Over the last four weeks we asked our readers to vote for their local to be named Ayrshire Pub of the Year.

In the running for the prestigious title were also The Wee Windaes, The Twa Dugs, Billy Bridges Bar, The Bell Rock, McKays, Matha Dickies, The Tam O’Shanter, The Brig and Willie Wastles.

Runners up this year were The Bellrock in Prestwick who were closely followed in their place by the Wee Windaes in Ayr’s Newmarket Street.

And we gave one lucky regular who voted in the competition the chance of winning a £40 tab on us.

Former British Aerospace worker David Gerrard, of Auchinleck, was picked out the hat to win the prize.

The 73-year-old grandad of five said: “It’s brilliant to win this.

“I didn’t believe it at first, I thought it was a wind up.

“It is a great pub. The staff are brilliant and friendly and always make you feel welcome.

“I have been coming here for about 30 years.”