St Albans Festive Pub and shop window competitions back for 2013

Now we want you to join them.

Do you drink in the pub with the best Christmas decorations in St Albans? Maybe you have enjoyed a particularly good Christmas meal or perhaps enjoyed a fine festive-themed brew?

If so we want you to nominate the pub in our Festive Pub of the Year competition.

The Retailer of the Year committee has again thrown down the gauntlet and wants our city centre pubs to push the boat out in a bid to be crowned St Albans Festive Pub of the Year 2013.

Last year The Portland Arms in Portland Street won the vote of our mystery drinkers.

The competition is in its fifth year and is organised by the Review, St Albans District Council, St Albans Civic Society and St Albans Chamber of Commerce.

Last year the organisers also named its first Festive shop Window of the Year. Cath Kidston in Christopher Place won the vote of our mystery shoppers. 

This year, members will again be on the lookout for the best festive shop window in the city centre. They will be pounding the streets looking for retailers who have brought festive cheer to the streets with their bright, beautiful and bold displays.

Anyone can nominate a pub which will then be put to the test.

Each establishment will be marked on a variety of different criteria including service, drinks selection, standard of decorations and atmosphere, but it must be based within the boundaries of our map. The closing date for nominations is noon on December 9.

To nominate a pub you can email the name and address of the pub to revieweditor@london.newsquest.co.uk or you can nominate a pub by text. Send your text to 80360 starting with the words ‘festivepub’ leave a space and then the name of your pub.

Calls cost no more than 25p per call from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles and some other networks may cost more. Texts cost 25p plus your normal operator text charge.

Text voting lines are open and close at noon on December 9.