Annie McDonnell has celebrated 25 years as landlady of the Oddfellows Arms in North Allington, Bridport, making her the longest serving single licensee of a Palmers’ pub. Described by Annie as a ‘poser-free zone’ the pub is an outpost of traditional values.

Devon landlords are rejoicing after The New Inn in Kilmington was included in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide for the 40th year in succession. It’s a double milestone for Brian and Denise Jenkins, who have also just notched up 20 years at the village pub in East Devon.

Palmers Brewery in Bridport is celebrating National Cask Ale Week by sending all 54 of its pubs across Dorset, Somerset and Devon some speciality bread made with Palmers Tally Ho! First brewed in 1949, Tally Ho! is a cult favourite with aficionados and has won many awards.

An original hand-carved stone barrel finial, a special feature of Palmers Brewery roof, had to be replaced during recent restoration of the Grade II thatched building – one of the rarest and most historic brewery buildings in the UK.

A family of three from East Wittering near Chichester enjoyed a week’s holiday in Dorset after winning first prize in Palmers Brewery’s Dorset Gold competition. Keith Rathbone, Emma Gillett and eight-year-old Aloka stayed at The Barns in Loders in a lovely cottage with an outdoor swimming pool.

The UK’s only thatched brewery – Palmers Brewery in Dorset – is being re-thatched. Nearly 2,000 fresh bundles of water reed are being fixed to the northern section of The Old Brewery in Bridport for the first time since 1977, by a team including two of the same thatchers.