A SMALL Darlingtonpub has been named the town's champion pub 2003 by the Campaign for Real Ale.

The Quaker Ale and Coffee House in Mechanics' Yard, off High Row, was presented with its award as Darlington Champion Pub of the Year 2003.

It is the third time in four years that the freehouse, hidden away in one of the town centre's old yards, has won the award.

Despite occupying some of the oldest buildings in Darlington - part could date back to the late 1600s - the pub has only been licensed since 1998. It changed hands last year when it was bought by the Tadcaster Pub Company.

Camra judges said the pub's latest success owes everything to the efforts of the current licensees, Steve Metcalfe and Lynda Harland.

Darlington Camra chairman Ian Jackson said: "The Quaker has been through a period of change in the past year but Steve and Lynda have remained 100 per cent committed to providing a good choice of beautifully-kept handpulled beers - real ales - for their customers.

"They sell some amazing beers from small independent breweries which are otherwise hard to find in this area. And, of course, they continue to stock their house beer, Quaker Ghost Ale, which is brewed by Darwin brewery of Sunderland and named after the pub's resident ghost.

"There are over 200 pubs in our branch area, which covers a wide area of County Durham, North Yorkshire and in and around Darlington, so for the Quaker to be chosen by Camra members - enthusiastic pub customers - three times in four years is a great achievement."

The Quaker normally has six ales on tap, but Mr Metcalfe and Ms Harland put on a special festival of more than a dozen real ales to celebrate winning the Camra award and to mark their first anniversary of running the Quaker pub.