O’Donoghues has six real ales on tap, including one specially brewed in memory of the landlady’s son, Shayne James, who died in 2000 at the age of 21 after a car accident on Chantry Bridge.

But this week husband and wife team Kim James-Glover and Ian Glover celebrated after being awarded the Campaign For Real Ale’s winter pub of the season award.

The first-time landlords had only been running the George Street pub for eight weeks when they got the good news.

CAMRA chose the pub because of the good job the couple have done turning the place back into a popular spot and its choice of real ales.

Bob Wallis, 65, publicity officer for CAMRA, said: “It used to be a fantastic pub, but it went down the pan for quite a while.

“But with absolute determination they have managed to bring it back from the abyss despite the difficult time all pubs are facing at the moment.”

Turning around the pub has been hard work, but according to Mrs James-Glover, 48, it is paying off.

She said: “The place was in a bit of a state before, but we were determined to make it work.

“This is the first pub we’ve had. My brother used to own one which I worked in, and when we saw O’Donoghues come up for rent we jumped at the opportunity.

“My husband is a big real ale fan.”