It was double delight for Jonathan Downey, managing director of the Match group, at the 2005 Flavour magazine awards last night.
In the main award of the evening Kevin Armstrong from Match's Sosho bar in London was named Bartender of the Year.
A team of judges from Flavour, which is the sister magazine to The Publican, picked out nine of the top bartenders from across the UK as finalists for the award, sponsored by premium vodka brand Wyborowa. In the end Kevin's solid performance across all categories saw him through.
And in Match's second success of the night Trailer Happiness in Notting Hill was named Cocktail Bar of the Year.
Other significant wins at the awards, held at the Savoy Hotel in London, were for the Be At One bar in Battersea, London, which was voted best classic bar and Henry Besant from the Lonsdale in Notting Hill, who won Bar Manager of the Year.
The big retail winners were Eric Yu's Breakfast Group, named Bar Operator of the Year and the Living Room, voted Retail Brand of the Year.
Full list of winners
- Venue Design 2005
- Sponsored by Bottlegreen Drinks Co
- Winner: Three, Bristol
Customer Service Bar 2005
Sponsored by Squeeze Event Mixology
Winner: Salty Dog, Glasgow
Retail Brand 2005
Sponsored by Coca-Cola Enterprises
Winner: Living Room, London
Bar Operator 2005
Sponsored by Leffe
Winner: The Breakfast Group, London
Bar Manager 2005
Sponsored by Luxardo & Jägermeister
Winner: Henry Besant, Lonsdale, Notting Hill
Cocktail Bar 2005
Sponsored by Appleton Jamaica Rum
Winner: Trailer Happiness, Notting Hill, London
New Bar 2005
Sponsored by Kirin Ichiban
Winner: Dusk, Battersea
Classic Bar 2005
Sponsored by Imperial Tobacco
Winner: Be At One, Battersea, London
Bartender of the Year 2005
Sponsored by Wyborowa
Winner: Kevin Armstrong, Sosho, London