This year, countless pub companies stepped up to enter The Publican Awards, undergoing our rigorous judging process to identify the very best in the industry. We’re thrilled to announce this year’s shortlisted finalists below.

Congratulations to all the finalists as they prepare for the challenging competition ahead. To those who didn’t make it this time, we sincerely appreciate your efforts—this is no easy feat, and your dedication does not go unnoticed.

The winners will be named at The Publican Awards awards night held at Evolution London on 26 March 2025.

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Best Accommodation Operator

This award will be presented to a pub company that has focused on offering accommodation as a key part of their business. Accommodation will play a significant part in contributing to the company’s profits and helping drive trade. The finalists are:

• Chestnut
• Hall & Woodhouse
• Heartwood Inns
• The Coaching Inn Group

Best Brewing Pub Company

This award recognises companies who operate both a successful brewery and a managed or tenanted/leased pub estate or both. The company will have between 2 and 150 pub sites. The finalists are:

• Black Country Ales
• Tiny Rebel
• Salt Brewing Company
• St Austell Brewery

Best Community Pub Operator

The winning company will have a successful pub estate of community focused pubs – community focused meaning trade predominantly targets local rather than destination customers. The finalists are:

• Craft Union
• Joseph Holt
• Ossett Brewery Pub Company

Best Drinks Offer

This award will be presented to a pub company that demonstrates drinks retail excellence, with drink sales a key part of the company’s total profits. The finalists are:

• Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars
• Incipio Group
• JKS Pubs
• All Bar One

Best Food Offer

This award will be presented to a pub company that delivers a successful mainstream food offer across their estate, with food a key part of the company’s total sales. This award is open to companies which average food price for a two course meal (Starter/Dessert and Main) is from £12.50 to £25 per head. The finalists are:

• Brucan Pubs
• Bundobust
• Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars
• Longbow Venues

This award will be presented to a pub company with late licenses whose core offer is built around the late night sector. The finalists are:

• Incipio Group
• Kuckoo Brands
• Laine

Best Managed Pub Company (2 - 50 sites)

This award will be presented to a highly successful managed retail estate with 2 - 50 sites, which has shown strong innovation and business performance in the past year. The finalists are:

• Buzzworks
• Heartwood Inns
• Morgan Pub Co
• St Austell Brewery

Best Managed Pub Company (51+ sites)

This award will be presented to a highly successful managed retail estate with 2 - 50 sites, which has shown strong innovation and business performance in the past year. The finalists are:

• BrewDog
• Hall & Woodhouse
• Nicholson's
• Urban Pubs and Bars

Best New Site

The winning pub site will have opened during the past 24 months. The site will either be a new-build pub or substantial re-development and entrants must demonstrate evidence of how effectively trade has been built at the site. The finalists are:

• Arc Inspirations, Box Nottingham
• Heartwood Inns, The White Horse, Dorking
• JW Lees & Co (Brewers), Founder's Hall, Manchester
• St Austell Brewery, Pier House & Harbour Beer House, St Austell
• Morgan Pub Co, The Old Mill, Berkhamsted
• Ossett Brewery Pub Company, The Brewers 1841, Ossett

Best Premium Food Offer

This award will be presented to a pub company that delivers a successful premium food offer across their estate, with food a key part of the company’s total sales. This award is open to companies which average food price for a two course meal (Starter/Dessert and Main) is above £25 per head. The finalists are:

• Anglian Country Inns
• Cubitt House
• JKS Pubs
• Chestnut

Best Pub Brand/Concept

This award will be presented to a pub company that presents a very strong and definitive brand offering. The finalists are:

• Be At One, Stonegate Group
• Heartwood Inns
• Roxy Leisure
• Vintage Inns

Best Pub Employer (501+ Employees)

This award will be presented to the pub company that provides an excellent working environment for employees including comprehensive training, strong staff motivation and benefits and a meaningful career path/development structure for employees. The finalists are:

• Hall & Woodhouse
• Heartwood Inns
• Hickory's Smokehouse
• The Coaching Inn Group

Best Pub Employer (Up to 500 Employees)

This award will be presented to the pub company that provides an excellent working environment for employees including comprehensive training, strong staff motivation and benefits and a meaningful career path/development structure for employees. The finalists are:

• Anglian Country Inns
• Longbow Venues

Best Pub Operations Team

This award will be presented to the pub company that has the best pub operations team. The finalists are:

• Almond Family Pubs
• Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars
• Ossett Brewery Pub Company
• Urban Pubs and Bars

Best Sustainable Pub Company

This award will be presented to a pub company that demonstrates a significant and concerted effort to reduce its waste. This includes the reduction and / or redistribution of food waste; energy reduction and management; plastics and single use items. The finalists are:

• Hall & Woodhouse
• Mitchells and Butlers
• Punch Pubs & Co
• Shepherd Neame

Best Partnership Pub Company (Up to 500 Sites)

This award will be presented to a highly successful tenanted or leased retail estate. The finalists are:

• Fuller, Smith & Turner
• Laine
• Robinsons Brewery
• Wells & Co

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