The Publican Awards 2015: The judging process

Quality standard mark​

As previous winners will testify, the Publican Awards are well worth the time and effort spent in preparing an entry. 

The awards publicly recognise the work of pub companies in a range of areas, and give winners a high-profile quality standard mark, which they can use to promote themselves inside and outside their pub business.

Previous winners have used their award success to attract new recruits, generate excellent PR, inspire staff and drive business further by acting as a quality endorsement to their customers.

They have maximised the power of the Publican Awards logo and used it on their marketing material, menus and websites. 

Judging process​

The awards offer entrants a rigorous and transparent four-stage judging process that examines all aspects of a pub company’s business and provides finalists with the opportunity to benchmark themselves against competitors and gain feedback from our expert industry judges.

The judges’ input, which includes mystery visit reports, will be available to finalists after the winners are announced in March 2015.

Many of this year's award entrants said they valued the entry and judging processes for giving them new insight into their pub operations.

Paper judging​

Initially, all entries are subjected to a paper judging process, which determines a shortlist of up to five finalists in each category.

The next stage is a programme of judging visits to finalists’ head offices  by members of the PMA's judging ​team including senior buiness journalists from the Publican's Morning Advertiser, M&C Report and Restaurant Magazine.

These judging visits explore the achievements highlighted in their awards entry through interviews with senior management. 

Judges also visit selected sites in the finalists’ estate to see the company’s innovations and strategies in action, the results of investments made, and interview staff on the front line.

At the same time mystery visits take place at finalists’ pubs, to check retail and service standards. We are working with mystery-dining company Acumen, which has inspection programmes for companies including Chameleon Bar & Dining, Marston’s, Wahaca and Rossopomodoro.

Panel interviews​

The final stage of judging is a panel interview with judges including City analysts, business journalists, pub guide editors, top industry consultants and industry body chiefs. This will take place in February 2015 in central London.

The judging day ends with a fantastic dinner for finalists, judges and sponsors.

All finalists will be invited to the Publican Awards ceremony on Monday, 16 March 2015 at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, in Mayfair, central London, where the winners will be crowned.