A PUB in south Dorset is gearing up for what is expected to be the warmest weekend this year after its beer garden was voted the fourth best in England.

As previously reported, The Smugglers Inn, at Osmington Mills, finished in the fourth spot, while Swanage's The Square and Compass, was crowned with having the best beer garden in England, and the third best across the UK.

READ MORE: Best beer gardens: Dorset pubs are among top in UK

Smugglers Inn manager Tom McDonald said staff at the pub are expecting a 'crazy summer' as temperatures continue rise after the country prepares for the quadrennial football tournament Euro 2020, along with the south coast expecting to see millions of 'staycationers'.

READ MORE: Euro 2020 opening weekend set to be hottest of the year

The list of top ten of UK beer gardens was compiled by Holidaycottages.co.uk using data from Yelp, and comes as the country prepares for one of the warmest weekend of the year.

Dorset Echo: Smugglers InnSmugglers Inn

Smugglers Inn manager Tom McDonald said: "Our beer garden is massive. During the summer we regularly have people queuing out the door - it can get crazy.

"In 2016 there was a lot of money pumped into the pub's beer garden, and during lockdown we've installed new canopies with tropical plants.

"We're really lucky with the surrounding area too as there's amazing coastal walks and iconic sites such as Durdle Door are close by."

Analysing the research, the areas with the best beer gardens in the UK, based on the average rating score and the total number of reviews, are as follows:

  1. Ben Nevis Inn, Fort William
  2. The Drovers Inn, Loch Lomond
  3. The Square and Compass, Swanage
  4. Cottage Loaf, Llandudno
  5. The Drunken Duck Inn & Restaurant, Ambleside
  6. Fort Inn, Newquay
  7. Smugglers Inn, Weymouth
  8. The Angel at Burford, Cotswolds
  9. The White Eagle, Anglesey
  10. The Albert, Windemere

Located in the beautiful Highlands town of Fort William, Ben Nevis Inn takes the top spot as being named the best beer garden in Scotland, and the UK overall. Another Scottish pub, The Drover’s Inn in stunning Loch Lomond takes second place.

The Square and Compass in Swanage, Dorset, is named the best beer garden in England, closely followed by the Smugglers Inn.

Dorset Echo: Square and Compass in SwanageSquare and Compass in Swanage

The stunning Lake District is always a popular staycation destination, and two pubs, The Drunken Duck Inn in Ambleside, and The Albert in Windemere have rightfully earned their spot in the best beer gardens list.

Rounding up the list, Fort Inn in Newquay is the best beer garden in beautiful Cornwall, with the picturesque The Angel at Burford the very best in the Cotswolds.

And although Welsh pubs haven’t yet been given the go-ahead to open, Cottage Loaf in Llandudno and The White Eagle in Anglesey both feature in the top ten list of the best beer gardens in the UK - so once the Welsh lockdown review happens on April 22, make sure you have these pubs on your must-visit list.

With staycations on the rise, we previously conducted a survey revealing that 84% of Brits are considering a staycation this year, with the top 10 destinations being:

  • Cornwall (48%)
  • Scottish Highlands (43%)
  • Devon (43%)
  • Cumbria/Lake District (41%)
  • Yorkshire Dales (35%)
  • Edinburgh (34%)
  • Peak District (32%)
  • Snowdonia (32%)
  • The Cotswolds (31%)
  • Dorset (30%)

Interestingly, the locations of the best beer gardens in England and Scotland are also all featured in this list of the top staycation destinations for 2021. So, if you are planning a staycation, our list should help you make sure you’re visiting a beautiful destination with great beer gardens too

Commenting on the study, Shannon Keary, Digital PR Manager at holidaycottages.co.uk, said: "It seems as a nation we’ve all been looking forward to this moment when we can finally see our friends and families and enjoy a drink in a beer garden.

"Now the world is starting to open back up again, we wanted to see where the ten best beer gardens were located, hopefully helping people decide where they should go once the doors are open, and also where to visit on a staycation this year.

“It's also really great to see that independent bars, pubs, and restaurants are all featured in this list.

"We know that the hospitality industry has suffered in the past year, and it’s encouraging to see so many highly rated British independents on this list. We hopefully will encourage many people to visit and support them in April and beyond."

To find out more of the best beer gardens in the UK, please visit: www.holidaycottages.co.uk/blog/best-beer-gardens

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