A Preston pub has been handed an industry oscar.

The Plungington Hotel in Ashton was presented with the Pub Staff Training Programme of the Year award at The Great British Pub Awards, last night.

The pub in Lytham Road was given the accolade at an awards ceremony in the London Hilton Hotel, where over 900 of the industry’s top operators, licensees and suppliers were present to learn which pubs had been deemed to be ‘Britain’s Best’ in 2008.

The coveted title of The Great British Pub of the Year 2008 went to The Compasses at Pattiswick, in Pattiswick, Essex.