GREEN-FINGERED publicans at an aptly named pub have celebrated winning £5,000 in a regional competition.

Elise and Paul Butfield took over the Green Tree pub in Beckfield Lane 18 months ago, and were this week awarded the Pub In Bloom certificate.

Landlady Elise said the competition, run by Enterprise Inns, looked at the decoration outside the pub, which had included summer hanging baskets, and a brand new beer garden designed and built by the team with locals.

She said: “We built the beer garden and as soon as we started on it we thought we had nothing to lose, so put in for the competition. I think there are about 200 pubs in the area and the area manager said he wasn’t expecting it to be quite as it is.

“We haven’t just put tables on the grass, we’ve put a lot of money into it. People walking past our pub have been commenting on how good it is as well.”

Much of the refurbishment was carried out by construction workers who the team know as regulars in the pub, and Elise thanked them for their success in the competition.

Elise said the decoration outside the pub had helped improve business as well as its appearance, and the team already had plans for next year.

She said: “The pub was totally dead when we took over and it made it look like a nice place to go and get a lot of people through the door. We’ve won £5,000 as a prize to put back into the pub which we have some plans for. We’re hoping to extend the beer garden and put in some patio doors so hopefully that will give us a winning prize for next year as well.”