Micropub's ciders are the pick of Camra's bunch

How do you like them apples and pears? Owners and customers at The Frothblowers are celebrating a cider and perry award

A former telephone engineer and an ex-travel agent are raising a glass after the micropub they set up less than a decade ago made it big.

The Frothblowers, in Werrington, Peterborough, has been listed as one of England's leading cider and perry pubs by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

Steve Williams and John Lawrence launched the independent micropub in 2017.

Camra has now named The Frothblowers the East Anglian cider and perry pub of 2024 - and one of the top four nationally.

The Frothblowers offers more than 30 traditional ciders from apple orchards around Britain.

Mr Williams, a former telephone engineer in his 60s, and Mr Lawrence, a former travel agent in his 50s, went into the beer business after leaving their jobs.

They moved into an empty shop and named the pub after The Ancient Order of Froth Blowers - a charitable organisation with a sense of humour.

Mr Williams said The Frothblowers offered eight or nine real ales as well as ciders, which are made from apples, from orchards as far afield as Scotland, Kent and Somerset.

He said more ciders than ales were on sale because cider lasted longer.

The pub offered one or two perries, which are made from pears, because there were fewer pear orchards than apple orchards, he explained.

The Frothblowers opened for business in Peterborough seven years ago

"We sell real ale and traditional ciders," Mr Williams explained.

"We sell about 34 different types of real cider."

He added: "We wouldn't want to run an ordinary pub.

"We are independent, individual, and we do what we like."

He said The Frothblowers had been a tanning shop before becoming a mircropub and could house between 30 and 40 customers.