Tip Top ‘Guildford Tup’

Published on: 31 Aug, 2019
Updated on: 31 Aug, 2019

By Hugh Coakley

The Guildford Tup in Chertsey Street came out on top as the Best Sports Venue 2019 in a national competition run by the EI Group, reportedly the largest pub company in the UK with around 5,000 pubs.

The Guildford Tup in Chertsey Street won the EI Group Best Sports Venue 2019

Matt Purves, The Guildford Tup manager, said: “We are delighted with the award. We are dedicated to all sports here. We love it.”

Asked why he thought that The Guildford Tup won the award, Matt said: “We really try to make it special with barbeques, outside TVs and even table service during the big events.

“We’ve got the Rugby World Cup coming up on September 22 and we will be opening early doing breakfasts, beers, teas and coffees for all the home nations games.”

Guildford has many pubs showing sports but, said Tyler Hodges, ‘Vice captain’ in Team Tup with a grin: “We’re the best in town.”

Matt Purves, leaseholder and manager of The Guildford Tup, with Tyler Hodges, his ‘Vice Captain’ showing a friendly face at the bar.

Matt was enthusiastic talking about his pub but also about Guildford. “It’s a bit like my home town, Ballarat in Australia; big enough to be interesting and small enough to be friendly.

“No doubt,” Matt said “I would have gone back home if it wasn’t for Guildford. It has a real community feel.”

With a surprisingly large outside area for a town centre pub, Matt said that they get around 200 people on the premises on a good sports final day. And with screens in every area in the pub, including in the garden, and a ‘pool table stable’ where the Stoke Park RFC meet of occasion, I could see how.

The photo shows some of The Guildford Tup’s surprisingly large outside area for a town centre pub.

“Back in July this year,” Matt said; “We showed the Wimbledon Tennis Final, the World Cup Cricket Final and the Silverstone F1 race all on the same day and at the same time. How about that!”

Matt had a special mention for Jane Lyons of The Keep Pub in Castle Street. Matt said: “Jane runs Pubwatch in Guildford. It is excellent, keeps all the landlords informed. Jane is a credit to the town. She keeps us all on our toes.”

With Matt Purves in charge at The Guildford Tup, you have a very friendly pub with lots going on for the sports fan. Well worth a visit.

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