Video: watch Publican Awards 2018 winners' reactions
The glittering ceremony, which took place this week (Tuesday 13 March) at Battersea Evolution saw New World Trading Company (NWTC) once again leading the way, taking home three awards, but new entrant to the competition, Brewhouse & Kitchen, was hot on NWTC’s heels, winning two titles.
The NWTC saw success in Best Drinks Offer, Best Pub Employer (501+ employees) and Best Pub Operations Team, while chief executive Chris Hill took the title of Business Leader of the Year.
Amazing feeling
On winning Best Drinks Offer, Hill said: “It feels amazing to be able to take an award like this back to the team.”
The company’s HR director, Natasha Waterfield, said: “It is really good that we can keep doing things to provide a good work life for our employees.”
North Bar/North Brewing Co took the title of Best Brewing Pub Company for the second year in a row and operations manager Richard Fiddaman said: “I am shaken because we genuinely didn’t expect to get it last year or this year. I am shocked.”
The Best New Pub/Bar was Tokyo Industries’ Impossible Manchester and the company’s managing director Aaron Mellor said the win was really special because it was a big industry award.
Nice recognition
He added: “We don’t do it for the awards, but it is nice to get the recognition for giving customers something they don’t see or feel in other venues.”
Best Tenanted/Leased Pub Company (501+ sites) winner was Star Pubs & Bars and property and strategy director Chris Moore said: “[It is] fantastic – this is an amazing achievement [and] fantastic recognition for the work we are doing every day - for our licensees who are out there, making great consumer experiences every day of the week.”
Best Food Offer was taken home by Seafood Pub Company and managing director Joycelyn Neve said: “This is the one we want to win so it is a fantastic feeling and I can’t wait for all the team to know that we have won.”
Additional reporting by Georgina Townshend
