Regulars joined staff in celebration last night at the Fat Cat pub in Norwich, which was presented with the Camra Norwich and Norfolk Pub of the Year 2012.

The West End Street pub is now hoping for a hat-trick of titles in Camra's (Campaign for Real Ale) national pub of the year competition, which it won on both the previous times it reached this stage.

The pub, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last December, is renowned for its vast selection of up to 30 real ales, and landlord Colin Keatley said he was 'overwhelmed'.

Chris Riches, the Fat Cat brewery manager, and one of the unsung heroes at the pub, said: 'Our success has always been down to a combination of maintaining the quality and standard of the beer we offer. It's about offering people a wide variety of choices and making sure we have knowledgeable staff, so everybody gets looked after.'

Regular George Mousefield, who lives near the UEA, said: 'It's probably the best pub in Britain. The range of beers it offers is unmatchable.

'I have been coming here for 21 years and I've no need to go anywhere else.'

Camra's Norwich & Norfolk Pub of the Year is chosen from the winners of the branch's Rural and City Pubs of the Year. The 2012 Rural Pub of the Year was won by The Green Dragon in Wymondham.

Also, for the first time this year, the branch awarded a Cider Pub of the Year award, which was won by The White Lion, Oak Street, Norwich.