Find out about the Best Partnership Pub Company (up to 500 sites) finalists

The finalists are:

Robinsons​

Stockport-based Robinson has been running pubs and brewing since 1838 when the family bought the Unicorn Inn. 

Starting out brewing from a pub, the business has now grown to encompass over 250 pubs, with more than 224 tenanted and leased, putting the partnership model at the heart of its operation.

This is a company that has made strong investment into its operational side, investing in support to pubs by growing its business development manager numbers to improve support and lower ratios. It has also invested into an internal communications team, which is helping to drive publicity for the pubs, and has made sustainability a key plank of its business with the launch of an updated green pubs guide​.

Daniel Thwaites​

Having relocated its head office and brewery to a new greenfield site in Lancashire, this business, which was established in 1807, has blended the high tech with the traditional, with solar energy powering both the brewery and the stables where they maintain four dray horses, providing fantastic PR opportunities.

There’s a great sense of energy behind the company which has more than 200 partnership pubs within its portfolio, and a strong programme of investment is also seeing the group significantly upping the sustainable credentials of its operators businesses as well as a strong internal team, offering impressive support across the board.

Wells & Co​

Another long-established operation that has relocated and opened up an impressive modern brewing facility. Wells & Co was originally established as Charles Wells in Bedfordshire in 1876, its new Brewpoint facility opened in 2020 and is providing excellent beers and support services to its 131 partnered pubs.

Innovation is strong within this business, with a number of new initiatives launched to help maximise the opportunities for its pub partners. A thriving managed operation, along with an estate of pubs over the channel in France, also allows the business to share learnings and experiences with its partners to give them more opportunity to thrive.

Shepherd Neame​

Laying claim to the title of oldest brewer, this Kent-based operation has 224 partnership pubs in an estate of nearly 300 and is firmly focused on creating long-lasting and valued relationships with its pub partner operators.

Despite brewing in Faversham since 1698, this is a company that is not living in the past and is investing strongly to create a modern and dynamic business that innovates and grows opportunities for its partners.

Putting the operators at the heart of what it is doing, this company has simplified its processes and is now driving forward with an impressive sense of energy.