2021 Winners

Best Accommodation Operator - Sponsored by Asahi

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.

WINNER: Stay Original Company

The finalists:

  • HQ Collection
  • OHH Pub Company
  • Stay Original Company
  • The Inn Collection Group


Best Brewing Pub Company - Sponsored by Lumina Intelligence

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.

WINNER: North Brewing Co. / North Bar Ltd

The finalists:

  • Joules Brewery
  • North Brewing Co. / North Bar Ltd
  • Ossett Brewery


Best Sustainable Pub Company -  Sponsored by Sky Business

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.

WINNER: Brewdog

The finalists:

  • Brewdog
  • Darwin & Wallace
  • Yummy Pubs


Best Community Pub Operator - Sponsored by Britvic

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

WINNER: Greene King

The finalists:

  • Greene King
  • Hawthorn
  • OHH Pub Company Ltd
  • Wells & Co.


Best Food Offer - Sponsored by CPL Learning

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.

WINNER: Hippo Inns

The finalists:

  • Berkeley Inns
  • Greene King / Brand - Chef & Brewer Collection
  • Hickory's Smokehouse
  • Hippo Inns


Best Premium Food Offer - Sponsored by Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I

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.

WINNER: Stay Original Company

The finalists:

  • Cubitt House
  • Darwin & Wallace
  • Liberation Group / Butcombe Brewing Co.
  • Metropolitan Pub Company
  • Stay Original Company


Best Drinks Offer - Sponsored by Coca-Cola European Partners

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.

WINNER: Darwin & Wallace

The finalists:

  • Berkeley Inns
  • Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars
  • Darwin & Wallace
  • HQ Hospitality


Best New Site - Sponsored by Heineken

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.

WINNER: The Meynell Ingram Arms, from Berkeley Inns

The finalists:

  • Red Lion at Hellidon Ltd Part of the Freespirit Pub Co Limited
  • Stay Original Company
  • The Meynell Ingram Arms, from Berkeley Inns
  • The Oarsman
  • The Ostrich (Butcombe Brewing Co. / Liberation Group)


Best Pub Employer - Sponsored by CGA

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.

WINNER: Brewhouse & Kitchen

The finalists:

  • Brewhouse & Kitchen
  • Greene King
  • North Brewing Co and North Bar Ltd
  • Stay Original Company
  • The Inn Collection Group


Best Managed Pub Company - Sponsored by Molson Coors

This award will be presented to a highly successful managed retail estate, which has shown strong innovation and business performance in the past year.

WINNER: Liberation Group / Butcombe Brewing Co.

The finalists:

  • Brewhouse & Kitchen
  • Cubitt House
  • Liberation Group / Butcombe Brewing Co.
  • The Inn Collection Group
  • Urban Pubs and Bars
  • Wells & Co.


Best Tenanted/Leased Pub Company - Sponsored by HGEM

This award will be presented to a highly successful tenanted or leased retail estate.

WINNER: Greene King

The finalists:

  • Greene King
  • Robinsons Brewery
  • Shepherd Neame
  • Wells & Co.


Business Leader of the Year - Sponsored by Poppleston Allen

WINNER: Nick Mackenzie, Greene King


Outstanding Industry Contribution - Sponosored by The Morning Advertiser

WINNER: Emma Page, Yummy Pub Company


Read the Full Story

If you have any questions about the event  please contact Hazel Batchelar on 01293 846551 or email Hazel.Batchelar@wrbm.com

What our customers say...

"Entering The Publican Awards is not taken lightly with countless hours spent scrutinising whether you have done enough to warrant an entry. It's a process that allows you clarity in your vision, focus on your strategy and guidance as to how you move it forward"

Jayson Perfect, The Liberation Group

"I have received many grateful notes from those we invited who thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening, as I did. I hope that some of them may think of entering the Awards next year"

Brigid Simmonds OBE, Chief Executive, BBPA

"Thank you so much for such a fabulous evening at last night's awards. It really was a wonderful evening - congratulations to all your team for organising such a wonderful event."

Clair Thornburn PR The Inn Collection Group

"Firstly - well done on yet another  brilliant Publican Awards. Though the event was very good. Food was excellent - best ever - and thought the drinks reception was exceptional. We were obviously delighted to pick up our two awards!"

Georgina Wald, Corporate Communications Manager Fullers

"I just wanted to congratulate you on a fantastic Publican Awards and thank you very much for my invite. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and well executed as ever. Excellent food and really great selection of drinks."

Tom Davies, Brakspear Brewery