2022 Winners

Many pub companies entered The Publican Awards this year, and were put through our rigorous judging process to determine the very best in the nation. We're very pleased to share with you this year's final winners list below.

We'd like to say a huge thank you to everybody who entered the awards this year, all of our finalists, and last but not least, a big congratulations to our wonderful winners. Thank you for making the pub industry as great as it is!


Best Accommodation Operator - Sponsored by HGEM

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: Liberation Group

The finalists:

  • Daniel Thwaites
  • Liberation Group
  • PubLove


Best Brewing Pub Company - Sponsored by Food Alert

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.

The finalists:

  • Laine Pub and Brewing Company
  • North Brewing Co.
  • Robinsons Brewery
  • Brewpoint


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: Craft Union Pub Company

The finalists:

  • Craft Union Pub Company
  • Everards Brewery
  • Wells & Co.


Best Drinks Offer - Sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific 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: Albion & East

The finalists:

  • Albion & East
  • Berkeley Inns
  • Camerons Brewery


Best Food Offer - Sponsored by Guinness

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: Provenance Inns & Hotels

The finalists:

  • Albion & East
  • Farmhouse Inns
  • Provenance Inns & Hotels


Best Late Night Operator - Sponsored by Kopparberg

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

WINNER: REKOM

The finalists:

  • Advocate Group
  • REKOM


Best Managed Pub Company (2 - 50 Sites) - 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: Arc Inspirations

The finalists:

  • Arc Inspirations
  • Hippo Inns
  • The Inn Collection Group
  • Urban Pubs and Bars


Best Managed Pub Company (51+ Sites) - Sponsored by Diageo

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

The finalists:

  • Greene King
  • Liberation Group


Best New Site - Sponsored by Heineken UK

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: Cahoots

The finalists:

  • Cahoots
  • Daniel Thwaites
  • Joules Brewery
  • North Brewing Co.
  • Rockwater Group
  • The Boat


Best Premium Food Offer - Sponsored by Budweiser Brewing Group

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: Liberation Group

The finalists:

  • Anglian Country Inns
  • Liberation Group
  • Oakman Group
  • Peach Pubs


Best Pub Brand/Concept - Sponsored by Lumina Intelligence

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

WINNER: Chestnut

The finalists:

  • Chef & Brewer
  • Chestnut
  • Hickory's Smokehouse
  • Punch Pubs & Co.


Best Pub Employer - Sponsored by CPL Learning

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: Barons Pub Company

The finalists:

  • Chestnut
  • Barons Pub Company
  • Metropolitan Pub Company
  • Stonegate Group


Best Pub Operations Team - Sponsored by STINT

This award will be presented to the pub company that has the best pub operations team.

WINNER: Arc Inspirations

The finalists:

  • Arc Inspirations
  • Barons Pub Company
  • REKOM
  • Stonegate Group


Best Sustainable Pub Company - Sponsored by Sky

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: Peach Pubs

The finalists:

  • North Brewing Co.
  • Peach Pubs
  • Revolution Bars


Best Tenanted / Leased Pub Company (Up to 500 Sites) - Sponsored by Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company

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

WINNER: Hall & Woodhouse

The finalists:

  • Everards Brewery
  • Hall & Woodhouse
  • Wells & Co.


Best Tenanted / Leased Pub Company (501+ Sites) - Sponsored by Licensed Trade Charity

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

WINNER: Punch Pubs & Co.

The finalists:

  • Greene King Pub Partners
  • Punch Pubs & Co.
  • Stonegate Group


Business Leader of the Year - Sponsored by Poppleston Allen

This award will be presented to the leader of a majorly successful business over the past 12 months.

WINNER: Peter Borg-Neal, Oakman Group

The finalists:

  • Martin Wolstencroft, Arc Inspirations
  • Clive Chesser, Punch Pubs & Co.
  • Sarah Willingham, Nightcap
  • Sean Donkin, The Inn Collection Group
  • Chris Jowsey, Admiral Taverns
  • Peter Borg-Neal, Oakman Group


Outstanding Industry Contribution - Sponsored by The MA

This award will be presented to somebody who has contributed a vast amount to the pub industry.

WINNER: Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality

The finalists:

  • Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality
  • Michael Kill, Night Time Industry's Association
  • Ralph Findlay, former Marston's CEO
  • Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Advisor


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