Our rural pub of the year 2024 – The Brushmakers Arms, Oulton

The Brushmakers Arms is a two-roomed establishment with a lounge and a smaller snug. Named after a local cottage industry, the ‘Brush’ retains many of its original features, with the pub being a juke box and gaming machine free zone. The pub serves 2 changing beers and 1 regular beer which is often a well kept pint of Bass. The ‘Brush’ is the well deserved winner of our rural pub of the year award for 2024.

Sandra and Ryan bought the pub around 3 years ago. They’d been wanting to run a pub for a while, but were waiting patiently to find the right one – when they saw the Brushmakers they knew they’d found it.

Ryan was clear that he wanted to own a pub, not to be a manager or tenant for a brewery or pubco, where you would be answerable to someone else and limited on what you can change and what drinks etc you can offer.

Both originally from Penkridge, Ryan used to work as an electrician in the building trade, while Sandra managed a dental surgery. Initially Sandra was going to keep her day job but now works at the pub full-time.

Pictured is Branch Chair Andy Murray presenting Sandra and Ryan with the Heart of Staffordshire rural pub of the year award 2024

When they took it on the cellar was in bad shape and with his skills and some hard graft Ryan has transformed it into a clean and state-of-the-art space.
There is a small rear paved garden which is a real sun trap and doubles as the smoking area. Well behaved dogs are welcome and there is level entry via the garden at rear and level flooring throughout. The ‘Brush’ is open Noon until 11pm every day.

Since their arrival, Sandra and Ryan have made the pub the heart of the community – various local clubs meet there and it is certainly a very social space ‘where everyone knows your name’.
At the Pub of the Year presentation, Ryan paid tribute to the staff and customers for making the pub what it is today. 

Find The Brushmakers on Facebook

Check out their entry on WhatPub