Revealed: Who has won the Echo's Pub of the Year award?

The Dolphin in Farringdon is today revealed as the winner of our competition following months of voting by readers.

The Ashdown Road venue has again proved popular with its customers, who took the time to choose it as their best place to have a drink.

Owner Kelvin Lamb today spoke of his pride at the pub, which has been around since the 1960s, retaining the honour.

“It’s a great thing for us to win again,” said Kelvin, who has run the pub for almost 24 years and been a licensee for 34 years.

“It helps us as it keeps up interest in the place.

“I know a lot of people who work away, some who live in Australia and others who work on the rigs and when we told them we were in the final nominees they said they’d vote for us.

“They said right away they get a paper and fill out the form.

“It’s great that they have taken the time to do that and we owe this to them.”

Kelvin, who runs the Dolphin alongside wife Mary and 10 other staff, added that having plenty of activities for customers to get involved in is a big help in getting drinkers through the doors.

“There are two football teams, a darts team and two pool teams running out of here and we put on domino handicaps, karaoke and singers every week too,” he said.

“The pub trade has got more difficult in recent years, with a lot of places offering a bar and restaurant, but we have just stayed with a bar.

“We’re open seven days a week and I’d say we’ve got about 100 regulars.”

Kelvin also reserved praise for dedicated staff and loyal customers who voted for his pub in the contest.

“I’ve got to say a massive thank you to them, including Peter Foster who helps with all sorts of things such as the domino handicap, and the staff for all of their hard work.

“To be given the award for the whole of Sunderland for a third year in a row is fantastic.”