YORK’S thriving pub scene has been singled out for national praise in the new edition of Britain’s beer bible.

The 2014 edition of the Campaign for Real Ale’s Good Beer Guide is published today, and York has been chosen for a special feature showcasing one town or city’s range of pubs.

The guide takes readers on a whistlestop tour of seven York pubs: The York Tap, Brigantes, York Brewery Tap Room, Old White Swan, the Snickleway, Pivni and the Maltings.

Steve Golton, campaigns officer for the York branch of Camra, said: “We were thrilled when we heard York had been chosen as the feature city for this year’s guide. The guide editor Roger Protz came and a few of us were able to show him round some of York’s finest pubs.”

York has twelve pubs in the guide, but five have changed since the 2013 edition. The Old White Swan and Snickelway in Goodramgate, Pivni in Patrick Pool, the Volunteer Arms in Watson Street and York Tap at the station have all been added, replacing the Blue Bell, the Golden Ball, the Guy Fawkes, the Rook and Gaskill and the Three Legged Mare.

The Blue Bell was controversially removed, amid claims that it restricted access to the pub rather than being open to all.

The guide, now in its 41st year, also details all breweries in Britain and reveals that 20 new ones have opened in Yorkshire in the past year, taking the county’s total to 131. New entries include All Hallows Brewery, based at the Goodmanham Arms in East Yorkshire, Four Thorns Brewery in Heslington, the Jolly Sailor Brewery at Riccall and Knaresborough Brewing Co.

Roger Protz, guide editor, said: “The Good Beer Guide 2014 is the most up to date guide to the best real ale pubs in the UK and is compiled solely through recommendations and independent judgement. Unlike other guides which charge pubs to feature, the Good Beer Guide lists pubs on their merit alone.”