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Beavertown Brewery’s Cosy Pub Index has named Staffordshire as the top county for cosy pubs, beating traditional favourites with its impressive collection of welcoming venues

Christmas is nearly upon us, and it’s time to wrap up in a jumper and gather by the fire with those closest to us.

For countless people, the perfect winter scene features a softly lit, toasty and inviting space with beverages and the sound of crackling flames, offering shelter from the bitter weather outside.

Little wonder, then, that online searches for “cosy pubs” have jumped by almost 50% over the past month – and with this trend in mind, Beavertown Brewery examined the nation’s finest establishments based on several criteria to identify the top destinations.

Taking into account ceiling heights, lighting, warmth and festive decoration, their Cosy Pub Index named Staffordshire as Britain’s premier choice for the season, boasting an impressive 230 cosy pubs.

Derbyshire comes second with 196 venues, followed by Cheshire with 188, Cornwall with 186 and North Yorkshire with 182, reports the Express.

Staffordshire might not immediately spring to mind as a pub culture destination, but a swift glance at the region’s highest-rated establishments on TripAdvisor reveals they’ve been steadily enhancing their reputation for some time.

The county’s highest-rated pub is Osmar’s Table at The Fox Inn in Dosthill, awarded 4.9 stars and lauded for its “warm atmosphere” and a menu that appears tailor-made for festive occasions.

Close behind is The Feathers Inn in Lichfield, commended by guests for its laid-back ambience, substantial dishes and vibrant evenings. Next on the list is The Lazy Trout in Meerbrook, an incredibly sought-after venue that’s frequently fully booked, reviewers report.

Enthusiasts say it delivers that quintessential pub atmosphere whilst boasting views of the surrounding hills.

The Masons Arms in Stoke-on-Trent is distinguished as “a gem of a pub”, whilst The Blue Mugge in Leek completes the top five as a locally favoured, charming and reasonably priced venue with “fantastic” atmosphere.

“Everyone’s got a favourite pub they love to escape to when the cold hits”, explained Sam Millard, the brand’s Head of Innovation. “Winter is when pubs become rituals. It’s hard to resist the glow coming from a window filled with condensation, and the UK pub scene is arguably one of the best places in the world to throw your coat down onto a bench and keep warm with friends.”

The full county-by-county breakdown of prime cosy pub destinations reveals that the North and Midlands command the leading spots, whilst the South East is notably ranked lower.

Scottish havens for warmth such as Glasgow and Edinburgh offered 169 and 139 wintry watering holes respectively. Down in the South West, Dorset (169) edged ahead of Devon (161), with both trailing Cornwall.

The study also identifies a “cosy pub corridor” that could prove ideal for tourists, stretching from Cheshire across Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Gloucestershire and into the Cotswolds.

Wiegman replaced Phil Neville as England manager in September 2021, guiding the Lionesses to their first piece of major silverware at Euro 2022 when they beat Germany 2-1 in the final at Wembley.

England then reached the World Cup final in Australia in 2023, only to lose 1-0 to Spain.

At this year’s Euros, England showed incredible battling qualities to remain in the tournament and became the only country in the competition’s history to have three different matches go to extra time.

By reaching the final Wiegman became the first women’s or men’s manager to reach five consecutive major international finals after leading the Netherlands to the Euro 2017 title and 2019 World Cup final.

The Lionesses beat Spain 3-1 on penalties in July after the final finished 1-1 after extra time in Switzerland, with Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton saving two of Spain’s efforts in the shootout.

The victory meant Wiegman became just the second manager after Germany’s Christina Theune to win three successive European Championships.

England’s success led to Wiegman being named women’s coach of the year at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards, while she also won the women’s coach prize at the Fifa Best Awards for a record fifth time.

Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows shared the BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year award in 2024 after guiding Keely Hodgkinson to 800m Olympic gold at the Paris Games.

Sir Alex Ferguson won the inaugural Coach of the Year award in 1999, the year Manchester United won the Treble.

Previous winners include Sir Clive Woodward, Colin Montgomerie and Claudio Ranieri.

Wiegman joins Arsene Wenger, Sir Dave Brailsford and Sir Gareth Southgate in winning the award more than once.

The museum, which recently underwent a three-year makeover, has been awarded the 2026 Council of Europe Museum Prize

A small UK museum has been named the best in Europe.

The London gallery Young V&A, a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum in West London, has been awarded the 2026 Council of Europe Museum Prize. The council’s prize has been awarded for almost 50 years, and is given to the museum judged to have had the biggest impact on the understanding of European cultural heritage, human rights and democracy.

Some of its best-used interactive displays include the Spinning Sand Wheel, sensory areas, dress-up zones, and iconic toys like Pikachu and the classic Amstrad CPC 464 Computer. Its three main galleries, Play, Imagine and Design, are suitable for visitors of all ages. Even babies can join in thanks to colours, textures and shapes that are put at their eye-level.

Young V&A, which reopened in 2023 after a three-year period of refurbishment, was selected by the Council of Europe’s Culture Committee at a meeting on Tuesday, 2 December, in Paris. The judges commented on how it balances playfulness and education, while exploring real-world themes such as sustainability and empathy.

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From February a brand new exhibition at the museum will delve into the magical world of Aardman at the Young V&A, showcasing everything from Wallace & Gromit to Morph, Chicken Run, and Shaun The Sheep. Featuring over 150 exhibits – including previously unseen models, sets and storyboards from Aardman’s vaults – the exhibition will launch in February, marking the studio’s golden jubilee.

Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends will be the third showcase at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green, East London, which was formerly known as the V&A Museum of Childhood. The exhibition will offer a behind-the-scenes look at stop-motion animation, revealing how Aardman’s beloved characters are brought to life. It will also feature interactive activities for kids, such as character design and creating their own live-action videos.

Visitors can feast their eyes on early character sketches, concept art, puppets, props, scripts, and set models from Aardman, alongside optical illusion toys and early examples of stop-motion animation from the V&A’s collection.

Notable exhibits include development sketches for Morph, initial character concepts for Wallace, a hand-drawn storyboard from the train chase scene in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers, and never-before-seen items like the duo’s motorbike and sidecar from last year’s Bafta-winning film, Vengeance Most Fowl.

Wallace & Gromit, the brainchild of Nick Park from Bristol-based Aardman Animations, has garnered four Oscars and numerous Baftas over the years. Alex Newson, chief curator at the Young V&A, explained: “Aardman quite literally began on the kitchen table, when two young school friends started experimenting with animations at home.

“Even though Aardman is now one of the most successful animation studios in the world, its films still have the same handcrafted feel. It is this ‘thumbiness’, as they refer to it, that makes the films so charming and well-loved. “This is also what make the story so great for children. While Aardman’s films are now made by large and highly skilled teams it’s also possible for anyone to have a go at making their own stop motion films at home with minimal equipment and experience.”

The showcase will be open from February 12 to November 15 next year.