The Rutland Invitation Quiz League has been bringing together pub teams across the county every winter since the late 1980s. Borne out of a shared love of friendly competition and a good night out, the league established itself as a fixture in the local calendar — a reason to dust off the encyclopaedias, argue about sport, and turn up at your local on a cold Tuesday night.
At its height the league attracted more than 20 teams, filling pubs and clubs from one end of the county to the other. Rutland may be England's smallest county, but the appetite for a well-crafted question paper has never been in short supply. Teams developed loyal followings, rivalries formed, and the trophy became genuinely contested.
Like so much else, the league was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since doors reopened, the response from the community has been encouraging. The league now has 14 teams competing across the season, and we recently expanded into Uppingham for the first time, bringing the quiz to a part of the county that had long been underrepresented. If you think your pub or club could join us, we'd love to hear from you.