Thirteen pubs and four licensees have taken home honours at the Night of Excellence awards in a lavish ceremony and dinner held for the second year in a row at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
The awards, hosted by Greene King Pub Partners, celebrated the success of Greene King Pub Partners’ leased, tenanted and franchise licensees.
The awards were attended by over 140 licensees from across the country who work with Greene King Pub Partners, as well as representatives from the hospitality and pub sector including trade bodies, business leaders and more.
Comprising of 17 awards ranging from Community Pub of the Year to Pub Team of the Year – and an overall Pub of the Year award – entrants to the Night of Excellence awards go through a strict judging process including mystery visits in order to be crowned winners. Over 250 pubs and licensees entered the awards this year, eventually being whittled down to 47 finalists.
The Cott Inn in Dartington, Devon, was the overall winner of the Pub of the Year Award, also picking up the Pub Garden of the Year award along the way.
Colin and Susan Pearce of The Greyhound in Ixworth, Suffolk, were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of more than 40 years operating the pub.
Clive Price, founder of Barons Pub Co Ltd, won the Multiple Operator of the Year award for the third year in a row.
Franchisee Miranda Richardson, who operates The Squirrels in Dunston, received an Outstanding Contribution award.
New to the awards this year was the Sustainable Pub of the Year award, which was presented to Sean White, licensee of The Queen’s Head in Pinner. The Queen’s Head also won Pub Team of the Year.
Other winners from the night were:
· The Banner Cross in Sheffield, which won Sports Pub of the Year in recognition of its unrivalled live sport experience which includes multiple screens showing several sports.
· The Axe & Compasses in Arkesden, Essex, which received Special Recognition for its success after it reopened following an accidental fire which caused the pub to close.
· Kenneth Shaw of The Compton Swan, Berkshire, who won New Licensee of the Year for his turnaround of the pub.
· The Dolphin in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, which won Community pub of the Year for its excellent range of events and community initiatives.
· The Fox & Duck in Therfield, Essex, which won Digital Pub of the Year in recognition of its excellent use of social media.
· The Futurist, Liverpool, which won Pub Investment of the Year for its incredible £400,000 transformation.
· The James Street Tavern, Oxford, which won Entertainment Pub of the Year for its excellent range of events including live music, stand-up comedy and art classes.
· The Percy Arms in Chilworth, Surrey, which won Food Pub of the Year for its excellent South African BBQ and Sunday Carvery.
· The Queen Inn, Winchester, which won Beer Pub of the Year for its excellent beers that are brewed on-site at its microbrewery.
· The Victoria, Thurston, which won Franchise Pub of the Year for its excellent operation as a Hive Pub.
Dan Robinson, Managing Director, Greene King Pub Partners, said: “Congratulations to all the winners at this year’s Night of Excellence awards. A huge well done too to The Cott Inn in Dartington for winning Pub of the Year!
“Our incredible Partners never cease to amaze me and this year we had over 250 exceptional entries. Choosing the winners for the awards is never easy as the standard across the board is so high. It’s wonderful to recognise our Partners and their successes.”
