It is a popular pub and restaurant located close to the cliffs, beach and sea with stunning coastline views.

Providing a warm welcome, and a real homely atmosphere, The Oddfellows PH in Pakefield regularly hosts beer festivals and plays its part at the heart of the community with its involvement in the Blessing of the Herring ceremony and an annual festive fishing match.

With the walls of the popular pub on Nightingale Road featuring pictures of old Pakefield, landlord Charlie Atkins was delighted to have been selected as The Journal's pub landlord of the year for 2021.

He said: "This is the 13th year I've been at The Oddfellows.

"I've always worked in pubs around the town though and have always enjoyed it - so this is a really nice surprise."

Mr Atkins, who worked previously at SLP, added: "The last couple of years have been awkward, more the uncertainty than anything, with people not being able to go out or book up.

"Obviously what the government did with the grants was a big help.

"Hopefully next year things can bounce back, we have the Queen's Jubilee and events like that to give us a boost and help everyone in the industry.

"This year we combined the beer festival with a Herring and Ale Fayre at the Heritage Open Days event, and that was quite successful, so we're planning for that again next year.

"We still hold the Blessing of the Herring ceremony on the Green and an annual festive fishing match that took place on December 28, on Pakefield Beach - we had 42 fishing for that, which was quite a good turnout.

"We've had some great times in the pub.

"We've done a fair bit for the lifeboat over the years and we have lots of old photos on the pub walls showing the history and heritage of Pakefield."

Of the award win, Mr Atkins added: "To be fair, everyone in the pub trade deserves to be honoured with some sort of recognition for what everyone has tried to put on over the past couple of years, to welcome people and keep them entertained."