A Kent pub that was almost turned into flats has been named in the top four places to drink in the country.

The Nelsons Arms in Tonbridge has reached the final four of CAMRA’s national Pub of the Year awards after clinching the regional title.

For the full list of the county’s best pubs according to CAMRA click here.

Despite its recent success ‘the Nelly’ seemed destined to be turned into flats when Shepherd and Neame closed it in February 2017.

However, the Barden Residents Association – made up of local residents – rallied together to fight off developers, and had the pub, on the corner of Cromer Street and Nelson Avenue, registered as a community asset.

Matthew Rudd, who at the time owned the Windmill in Sevenoaks, heard the inn’s plight and decided to renovate it.

The landlord says the pub has become a “hub for the community”, especially for the residents’ association, after he reopened the Nelsons Arms in May 2018.

He added: “Naturally we’re delighted to reach the final of CAMRA’s 2023 Pub of the Year competition. It’s great for our customers, the team and the community as a whole.

“But most importantly it’s great for the Barden Residents Association, who in 2018 after a year of closure put an Asset of Community Value (ACV) on the pub and fought off the threat of redevelopment.

“This allowed the Nelly to become a hub for the community. Good luck to the other three finalists in this competition.

“I’m sure they will be as passionate about serving great quality, local cask ale and ciders, as we are proud to do here at the Nelly.”

The landlord replaced the ceilings and ceilings as well as adding walls and pillars and making sure that, when the pub relaunched, it paid tribute to its seafaring namesake.

Matthew has adorned the walls with decorations including a ship's wheel, naval brasses, a Nelson painting, a barometer, and a ship in a bottle along with much breweriana.

Punters can enjoy a range of beverages from cask ales, to real ciders and keg beers.

The pubs in the CAMRA competition are scored on their atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, inclusivity, overall impression, and – of course – the quality of their beer, real cider and perry.

The Nelson Arms will face Tamworth Tap in Tamworth, Trafalgar Hotel, on the Isle of Man and The Beer Engine in Skipton in the national final.

The victor will be announced in January.