A Hackney alehouse has been bestowed the unusual honour of Britain’s most beard-friendly pub.

Bristled boozers from The Beard Liberation Front recognised the Cock Tavern in Mare Street for welcoming customers sporting a wide range of facial hair fashions.

The society campaigns “in support of beards” and “against discrimination of those who wear them”.

Manager of the Cock Tavern, Tim O’Rourke, said the award was a “bit of a novelty”.

“There are a whole bunch of hipsters in the area so pretty much everyone has beards,” he said.

“There’s also a British Beard Club who have meetings here - they are old men with beards who stand around talking about beer and beards, they are really nice guys. Meetings just mean going to the pub and hanging out.”

The Cock Tavern specialises in selling beer from a range of micro-breweries, and brews its own beer, Howling Hops, on the premises, which makes it a prime target for “tickers” - who also tend to have beards.

“They drink hundreds of different types of beer a year and they tick it off a list, the tickers can usually get a tick if they come here,” said Mr O’Rourke.

No trophy was awarded but he is planning on making one himself which he will pass onto next year’s winners.

Manchester’s Port Street Beer House was named the most beard friendly pub of the year “Out of London” and other pubs to make the shortlist included the Evening Star in Brighton and the Urban Tap House in Cardiff.