The Sunderland brewer who is proving a hit in London

The Southwark Brewery, based in Southwark itself, sits near the south bank of the Thames and close to Tower Bridge and the Shard.

It is run by its founder and managing director Peter Jackson, usually known as Jacko and a former Bede pupil and a well known industry figure. Previously he had been the marketing and sales director at Marston's.

He then set up on his own and over the past decade has been educating the palates of Londoners.

Now a Southwark brew, named after the iconic London double decker bus, has been recognised.

Southwark Brewery's Routemaster Red has been named as Champion Beer of London, Best Red Ale at the annual Ealing Beer Festival run by CAMRA, only narrowly missing out on the overall title.

However, the brewery could be in line for an even bigger prize later this year. Another of its ales, the increasingly popular pale ale Bermondsey Best, has been nominated for Champion Beer of Britain.

The national award would normally be presented at CAMRA's flagship Great British Beer Festival, but the event does not return until 2025, but the 2024 winner will still be announced later this summer.

A delighted Peter said: "Routemaster Red is an amber ale which is slightly different from traditional English bitters and your usual pale ales that you get these days.

"We're proud of all our beers and it's always good to be recognised by people who really know their cask ales - and by CAMRA."

Southwark Brewery is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary in November this year and provides cask, keg and bottles ales to venues across the capital.

The Druid Street venue has its own bar, which is open to the public and has proved an especially big hit with football fans of all clubs over the years.

But it has a definite Sunderland AFC slant and is also proving particularly popular as England progress at the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.

Peter added: "We have about a dozen shareholders - and they're all Sunderland fanatics."