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

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: St Austell Brewery

The finalists:

• Beds & Bars
• The Coaching Inn Group
• The Hotel Folk

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:

WINNER: Everards Brewery

The finalists:

• Salt Brewing
  
• Wells & Co / Brewpoint

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:

WINNER: Proper Pubs (Admiral)

The finalists:

• Blind Tiger Inns
• Urban Village Pubs
  
• Craft Union Pub Company (Stonegate)

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:

WINNER: Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars

The finalists:

• Drake & Morgan
• Nightcap
• The Alchemist

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:

WINNER: Brucan Pubs

The finalists:

• Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars
  
• Oakman Group
• Public House Group

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:

WINNER: Kuckoo Brands

The finalists:

• Lucky Voice
  
• Nightcap
• Simmons Bars

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:

WINNER: Heartwood Inns

The finalists:

• Buzzworks
• Robinsons Brewery
  
• Urban Pubs and Bars

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:

WINNER: The Liberation Group

The finalists:

• Fuller, Smith & Turner
  

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:

WINNER: The Journeyman, Gerrards Cross - Oakman Group

The finalists:

• Manahatta, Sheffield - Arc Inspirations
• The Beach Club, Jersey - Randalls Jersey
• The Botanist, Edinburgh - New World Trading Company
• The Duke of Cumberland, Whitstable - Shepherd Neame

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:

WINNER: Anglian Country Inns

The finalists:

• Cubitt House
  
• Heartwood Collection

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:

WINNER: Hickory's Smokehouse

The finalists:

• Heartwood Collection
• Oakman Group
  

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:

WINNER: Marston's Pubs

The finalists:

• Oakman Group
  
• Stonegate Group
• 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:

WINNER: Barons Pub Company

The finalists:

• Anglian Country Inns
• Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars
  

Best Pub Operations Team

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

WINNER: Heartwood Inns

The finalists:

• Barons Pub Company
• Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars
• Wadworth
  

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:

WINNER: Greene King

The finalists:

• Fuller, Smith & Turner
• Oakman Group
  
• St Austell Brewery

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:

WINNER: Shepherd Neame

The finalists:

• Daniel Thwaites
• Frederic Robinson
• Wells & Co / Brewpoint

Best Partnership Pub Company (501+ Sites)

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

WINNER: Punch Pubs

The finalists:

• Admiral Taverns
• Marston's Pubs

Business Leader of the Year

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

WINNER: Alex Reilley

The finalists:

• Sarah Willingham
• Martin Wolstencroft
• Clive Watson
• Jillian MacLean

View full winners article