The Thatchers Arms in Mount Bures near Colchester has been crowned Pilsner Urquell’s Smartest Pub and awarded £10,000 to bring their business aspirations to life.

The award is the culmination of a competition by the Czech lager, launched in May, which encouraged consumers to Take the Czech Challenge by solving a puzzle card designed specifically for the beer brand by Mensa, The High IQ Society. 

A puzzle card was presented to consumers each time they purchased a Pilsner Urquell in stockists across the country.  Each correct consumer entry counted towards the pubs score in the Pilsner Urquell Smartest Pub competition and at the end of each quarter, the cards were counted to see which pubs made it to the top of the leader board. 

The top ten pubs that received the most entries over the course of the promotion were flown to the home of Pilsner Urquell, Pilsen in the Czech Republic to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges.

The Thatcher’s Arms winning idea was to transform their existing function room by creating a ‘pop-up’ cinema and a venue to host selected plays, live music and local arts exhibitions, acting as a valuable amenity for the rural community in which the pub is based.

Mitchel Adams said: “We already host a number of successful events including beer and food matching, quiz and open mic nights.  With the investment from Pilsner Urquell we can install a BOSE system and projector screen ensuring that our cinema events will be just as good as the local multiplex 10 miles away.  We’ll also be offering cabaret theatre-style seating with full table service including meals specially created to compliment the flavour of Pilsner Urquell. 

“I was up against some great business men and women, so for Pilsner Urquell to recognise my idea is fantastic.  It really has been a great couple of weeks for us, what with being named Colchester & North Essex CAMRA Pub of the Year and being crowned Pilsner Urquell’s Smartest Pub.  We are already putting our plans into action and look forward to welcoming customers new and existing to see how we’ve brought the investment and support from Pilsner Urquell to life.”

Darren Tendler, Sales Director for Miller Brands said: “Mitchel’s idea is the perfect combination of an original idea that builds new business with the help of another true original - Pilsner Urquell. We’re delighted to support Mitchel and the team at The Thatchers Arms with what was a brilliant idea, bringing people together from the community and creating some really exciting activity.” 

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Notes to editors:-

• The Pilsner Urquell Smartest Pub Competition was available to selected draught outlets across England and Wales. 
• ‘Mensa is the High IQ Society and has 23,500 members across the British Isle, with over 110,000 worldwide. Founded in 1946, the only prerequisite for joining Mensa is an IQ in the top two percent of the population. For more information www.mensa.org.uk’
Pilsner Urquell

Pilsner Urquell is the world’s first, clear golden beer, created in 1842. Pilsner Urquell means ‘pilsner from the original source’. It is the flagship brand of SABMiller’s international brand portfolio and is the company’s premier contender in the premium status segment of the market.

 Named after the town in which it was created, the beer came to define a whole category (Pilsners) and set the standard for all lagers.  At the brewery in Pilsen, Pilsner Urquell is still brewed to its original recipe (unchanged for over 165 years) using the parallel brewing process to ensure that the taste of the beer stays true.  By brewing a sample batch of the beer in the traditional way, using original-style equipment, the beer can then be compared to that which is made using modern equipment to make sure the beers match perfectly – no other brewer in the world does this.

Using the finest ingredients: Saaz hops, malt and Pilsen water, Pilsner Urquell is an intensely hoppy beer with a crisp body and a balance of subtle sweetness with velvety bitterness.

For further information

Emma Currin                                                     
Leisure PR & Communications                                   
(M) 07753 838 490
Email: emmacurrin@leisurepr.co.uk