Entries now open for John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards 2018

Operators throughout the UK are being urged to throw their hat in the ring and test their mettle against the competition throughout the country.

“If you’re running the best sports pub, or think you’ve got the best beer offer, we want to hear from you,” said Ed Bedington, editor of The Morning Advertiser, which organises the awards. “There are some fantastic operators out there, some of whom try to keep their light under a bushell, but we want to drag them out into the light and celebrate everything that is so wonderful about the Great British pub.”

Overall title 

Last year saw the Eagle & Child, based in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, take the overall title of John Smith’s Great British Pub of the Year, after winning in the Partnership Pub category.

Glen Duckett, licensee of the award winning pub, said: “One of the most important things about winning was for staff morale – it gets all of the staff feeling really good, which is dead important. It’s also really good national exposure, which in turn boosts footfall.”

New category for this year 

This year’s competition, which is sponsored by John Smith’s, along with, Admiral, Ei Group, Diageo and Sky, will give pubs the opportunity to compete across 17 different categories, with the introduction of a new LGBTQ+ bar category and we’ll also be holding a Chef of the Year and Young Chef of the Year competition in association with Booker Makro.

The categories include:​

Best Beer Bar/Pub

Best Cider Bar/Pub

Best Community Pub

Best Family Pub

Best Food Pub

Best Freehouse

Best Inn

Best Live Entertainment Pub

Best Managed Pub

Best Newcomer

Best Partnership Pub

Best Pub Garden

Best Spirits Bar/Pub

Best Sports Pub

Best LGBTQ+ Bar/Pub

Best Turnaround Pub

Best Wine Bar/Pub

The winners of each of the 17 categories will then go onto compete for the overall title of John Smith’s Great British Pub of the Year.

Bedington said: “Pubs come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and styles, catering for a broad mix of society, and with 19 categories to choose from, we feel there’s plenty of opportunity for pubs throughout the UK.

Benchmark your business

“This is the leading competition for all pubs in the trade, and a great opportunity to benchmark your business against the competition - it’s also a great opportunity to give the operation an MOT, a once over to see if you’re hitting all the right notes, or whether there’s any areas to work on.

“Entry is simple and straightforward and I’d urge anyone running a pub to throw their hat in the ring - the benefits of going through the process and making it through to the finals are manyfold, and well worth the time invested. 

Boost for business

“Being a finalist, and if you’re lucky enough to go onto be a winner, can prove a big boost to your business, giving you the opportunity to market widely, attract new customers, share your success with your regulars and also act as a big boost to the morale of your teams.

“You’ve nothing to lose by entering, and quite a lot to gain, so what are you waiting for - our team of expert judges is looking forward to receiving your entries.”

Entry is entirely online at www.greatbritishpubawards.co.uk​ and the deadline for entry is 18 May.

New awards night venue 

This year sees a change of venue for the event, and will see the competition culminate in a night of celebration at the stunning Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on September 6, and The MA, along with its award partners will be planning a night with plenty of surprises to be announced along the way.

Bedington added: “Get entering now and hopefully we’ll see you on the judging trail down the line. Best of luck.”