The Coach & Horses in Soho is Fuller’s Pub of the Year
Griffin Trophy 2025 winner and runners-up announced
Fuller, Smith & Turner, the premium pubs and hotels business, is delighted to announce The Coach & Horses, Soho [29 Greek St, London W1D 5DH] is the 2025 winner of its Pub of the Year competition – The Griffin Trophy. The competition is open to all Fuller’s 185 Managed Pubs and Hotels and 151 Tenanted Inns and sees the winner take home the coveted Griffin Trophy.
The Coach & Horses, managed by Ali Ross, is a Soho institution – loved by regulars and tourists alike. It is frequently listed as one of the best pubs in London – having made it on to the Telegraph’s best 500 pubs in England list and taking one of the top spots in Time Out’s 50 best pubs in London. The Coach & Horses is a lively corner of Soho with inclusivity at its heart – where there is always a warm welcome from Ali and the team. The pub offers an outstanding selection of cask and keg beers on tap and a fantastic line-up of crisps, nuts and snacks – the perfect accompaniment for a Soho pint.
A truly iconic pub, The Coach & Horses been the setting for a number of photoshoots – most recently, for Alexander McQueen – features frequently as the backdrop for TopJaw’s popular social media content and has hosted productions of the one man play Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell. Jeffrey Bernard wrote for The Spectator for years and, like many other journalists, he was regularly found in The Coach & Horses, propping up the bar.
This year’s Griffin Trophy saw 12 pubs reach the final. The finalists were visited by a judging panel – Fuller’s Executive Chairman Simon Emeny, People & Talent Director Dawn Browne and Marketing Director Sam Bourke – who selected winners for each category and the overall Griffin Trophy winner. There are four categories in the Griffin Trophy – Best City Pub; Best Town/Local Pub; Best Country/Village Pub; and Best Hotel/Inn.
Simon Emeny, Fuller’s Executive Chairman, said:
“Ali has been with Fuller’s for 15 years and is no stranger to the Griffin Trophy – having won it at The Hydrant, Monument in 2016 and winning her category, Best City Pub, last year at The Coach & Horses. She has truly pushed herself and the team to take The Coach & Horses from category winner to Griffin Trophy winner – and seeing these subtle but impactful changes during our judges’ visit was inspiring.
“The Coach & Horses has been an institution for many over the years – and in her seven years as General Manager, Ali has carefully crafted it into most welcoming, famous and inclusive pub in this wonderful part of London. The Coach & Horses, Ali and her team are the epitome of one of Fuller’s core values – celebrating individuality. This is a truly well-deserved win.”
Ali Ross, General Manager of The Coach & Horses, said:
“I’m over the moon to have won the Griffin Trophy. After winning my category last year, I was determined to take The Coach & Horses to the next level and secure the coveted Griffin Trophy. I’m looking forward to displaying it proudly behind the bar for the next 12 months. I’d like to say a big thank you to my team as well – their hard work played a key role in winning this trophy. We will definitely be celebrating the win in style.”
The Coach & Horses is also the winner of its category – Best City Pub. The Bay Tree Hotel in Burford was named the Best Hotel/Inn, Best Town/Local Pub went to The Queen’s Head in Chesham, and the Best Country/Village Pub was awarded to The Chairmakers, Waterlooville.