THE city’s oldest pub fared well as it took centre stage on popular bed and breakfast competition Four in a Bed.

The Channel 4 show pits guest houses from the around the country against each other in a bid to be crowned the top host and it was the turn of the Cardinal’s Hat in Worcester to be evaluated.

Each bed and breakfast is judged out of ten on the level of dust on its door handles and how local the black pudding is on its full English.

The owner is scored on friendliness and hosting skills.

In an episode brimming with innuendo, hopes were high for the Cardinal’s Hat after owner Nigel Smith impressed in the first episode.

Overall, the couples were complimentary towards the Friar Street establishment and agreed they would all stay again given the opportunity.

History buff Nigel took the couples morris dancing before a meal at Saffron’s Bistro in New Street where he explained the extensive history of the inn.

An ‘excellent’ cooked breakfast made with local ingredients impressed Russ and Karen Colman - the husband and wife team behind a glamping site in Cledan Valley, mid-Wales – who awarded full marks for their food.

Lucinda and Diane from Springfield House B&B in Instow, Devon were besotted by the ‘fantastic’ Nigel and landed plaudit after plaudit for the pub, the owner and the continental breakfast hamper.

Not to say the pub passed with flying colours.

Mark and Jo from Torquay found a hair on their pillow and with cleanliness not up to scratch gave the pub a seven.

Earlier, over their plates in Saffron’s, Mark from Torquay plagued Nigel about his housekeeping much to his bemusement shortly before landing the sucker punch score.

In a shocking turn of events, the couple also knocked marks off for supplying sugar in a bowl rather than in their preferred individual sachets.

The competition continues on Channel 4 tomorrow and for the rest of the week.