WHAT started as a small coffee shop in Bournemouth, has now become a multi-award-winning micro pub.

The Micro Moose at Winton Banks has just received its second award in as many months after it was voted East Dorset CAMRA’s Pub of the Year. Two months ago it also won Pub of the Season (autumn 2017).

The Micro Moose is an excellent example of the micro pub trend that is taking the drinking scene by storm and giving traditional, larger pubs a run for their money.

Until a little over a year ago, the Micro Moose was a small coffee shop, until one day the owners, Anglo-Canadian couple Mark Abbott and Pam Skuce, hit on an idea.

“Some friends of ours suggested that we could sell coffee by day and beer by night, “ explains Pam. “We loved the idea of serving unusual beers and soon realised that we fancied the idea even more than the coffee!”

The idea of the Micro Moose was born, and within months, the couple were running a popular new mini pub. Out went the coffee, tea and cakes, and in came the beer, cider and scotch eggs.

From the outside, it looks more like a shop than a pub with an ever-changing range of cask ales, real ciders and gins. “We try to keep our ales and ciders fairly local and they are mostly sourced from Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire, but sometimes from further afield,” adds Pam. “We aim to have a balanced choice of four to five beers to choose from, typically an IPA, a hoppy ale, and a porter or stout and four ciders. We also offer bar snacks, handmade scotch eggs, pork pies and pork scratchings, all from a local butcher, Armstrongs.”

After the award presentation this week, Pam said: “We are over the moon about being voted Pub of the Season by CAMRA members; absolutely thrilled. It was completely unexpected.”

But new East Dorset CAMRA chairman, Nigel Jones wasn’t surprised. “The Micro Moose has long been one of our favourites, there is always a great choice of ales and in wonderful condition.” We have now had the pleasure of adding to the number of awards to adorn its walls. It’s a fine accolade and very well deserved”.