Each year, the members of Durham CAMRA are invited to nominate pubs for the Pub of the Year competition. The most popular suggestions are put onto a shortlist, and voting is held to choose a winner and runner-up. Pubs are judged on a range of criteria provided by CAMRA, including beer quality, clientele mix and sympathy with CAMRA aims and objectives. In 2014, in order to reflect the diversity of the large geographical area covered by the branch it was decided to choose Town and Country Pubs of the Year rather than a straight winner and runner up. The winners of the branch awards also go through as candidates for the Regional Pub of the Year award, competing with Pub of the Year winners from the other branches in the region. The last Durham branch nomination to win the regional award was the Grey Horse, Consett in 2019. Previous Regional successes include The Surtees Arms in Ferryhill Station (winner, 2010,) The Ship in Middlestone (runner up, 2014,) The Victoria in Durham (third place, 2014,) and Ye Old Elm Tree in Durham (runner up, 2015; third place, 2016.)
In 2019 the competition was ammeded slightly to create a new category of City Pub of the Year to cover the City of Durham area. The Town Pub of the Year is now for the best pubs in these towns: Bishop Auckland, Crook, Chester, Consett, Ferryhill, Peterlee, Seaham, Sedgefield, Spennymoor, Stanley and Tow Law
City Pub of the Year
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Station House, Durham | Victoria, Durham | Old Elm Tree, Durham |
| 2021 | No contest due to COVID pandemic | ||
| 2020 | Victoria, Durham City | Station House, Durham | |
| 2019 | Victoria, Durham City | Station House, Durham | |
Town Pub of the Year
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Grey Horse, Consett | Little Tap, Spennymoor | Butchers Arms, Chester-le-Street |
| 2021 | No contest due to COVID pandemic | ||
| 2020 | Grey Horse, Consett | Butchers Arms, Chester-le-Street | |
| 2019 | Grey Horse, Consett | Butchers Arms, Chester-le-Street | |
| 2018 | Victoria, Durham City | Station House, Durham City | |
| 2017 | Victoria, Durham City | Station House, Durham City | |
| 2016 | Ye Old Elm Tree, Durham | The Tap and Spile, Durham | |
| 2015 | Ye Old Elm Tree, Durham | The Tap and Spile, Durham | The Victoria Inn, Durham |
| 2014 | The Victoria Inn, Durham | The Tap and Spile, Durham | |
Country Pub of the Year
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Surtees Arms, Ferryhill Station | Beamish Mary, No Place | Stapylton Arms, Hawthorn |
| 2021 | No contest due to COVID pandemic | ||
| 2020 | Surtees Arms, Ferryhill Station | Three Horseshoes, Leamside | |
| 2019 | Three Horseshoes, Leamside | Surtees Arms, Ferryhill Station | |
| 2018 | Three Horseshoes, Leamside | Surtees Arms, Ferryhill | |
| 2017 | Smiths Arms, Castle Dene, Chester-le-Street | Dun Cow, Seaton | |
| 2016 | Dun Cow, Seaton Village | Surtees Arms, Ferryhill | |
| 2015 | The Surtees Arms, Ferryhill | The Ship Inn, Middlestone Village | The Hare and Hounds, Westgate |
| 2014 | The Ship Inn, Middlestone Village | The Surtees Arms, Ferryhill | |
Pub of the Year
| Year | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Tap and Spile, Durham | The Surtees Arms, Ferryhill |
| 2012 | The Victoria Inn, Durham | The Surtees Arms, Ferryhill |
| 2011 | The Surtees Arms, Ferryhill | The Tap and Spile, Framwellgate Moor |
| 2010 | The Surtees Arms, Ferryhill | The Stables, Beamish Hall |
| 2009 | The Victoria Inn, Durham | The Tap and Spile, Framwellgate Moor |