Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA Hero? Business Continuity

By Ed Bedington

- Last updated on GMT

Shining a light: this category highlights the businesses that pivoted amid the pandemic
Shining a light: this category highlights the businesses that pivoted amid the pandemic

Related tags Great british pub awards Marketing Awards

Lockdown hit pubs first and hardest, and while many operators were forced to shut up shops and weather the storm, some managed to pivot their operations and keep on trading.

The Great British Pub Awards Pub Heroes 2020 aims to celebrate the operators that rose to the challenge of the crisis and found new ways of operating to look after the communities they serve.

Ed Bedington, editor of The Morning Advertiser​, which organises the awards, said: “For many operators, lockdown was simply that, but for some lucky and innovative traders, it saw them really tap into their entrepreneurial spirit and look for new ways to serve customers.

“We saw pubs create new types of operations and a huge embrace of takeaway opportunities as customers struggled to find the foods they needed in the supermarkets.

“We want to recognise those operators that refused to stay down and looked for any opportunity to keep the doors open in whatever way they could.”

The Great British Pub Awards Pub Heroes is an evolution of the traditional Great British Pub Awards, and aims to shine a spotlight on some of the fantastic achievements of pubs during the corona crisis.

Bedington added: “Pubs have really been hit hard by the crisis, but rather than shut up shop and walk away, we’ve seen operators not only rise to the challenge, but go way beyond that, doing amazing things to support the communities they serve.

“We want to use these awards to help shout from the rooftops about how great pubs are.”

You can enter the Business Continuity category, which is sponsored by Diageo, now at www.greatbritishpubawards.co.uk​​ and the winner will not only receive £1,000 from Coca Cola to put towards a charity of their choice, but also the opportunity to bid for a £10,000 grant towards a business improvement upgrade or community project of your choice.

The full list of categories in the competition are: 

  • Feeding the Community​​ – A pub that has kept their community fed
  • Front-Line Support​​ – A pub that has supported the NHS and other front-line workers in a variety of ways
  • Staff Welfare​​ – A pub that has gone above and beyond to look after their teams
  • Community Mindfulness​​ – A pub that has supported the community’s mental health
  • Community Services​​ – A pub that has looked after vulnerable customers
  • Business Continuity​​ – A pub that has found innovative ways to continue to deliver its services during the lockdown
  • Pub Shop​​ – A pub that has pivoted to provide essential supplies to its local community
  • Charity Champion​​ – A pub that has raised money for charity despite the lockdown
  • Keeping the Community Entertained​​ – A pub that has continued to provide vital entertainment to its community – virtual quizzes, concerts etc
  • Sheltering the Community​​ – A pub that has provided a room for someone in need
  • Punch Pub Hero of the Year​​
  • Admiral Pub Hero of the Year​​
  • Greene King Pub Hero of the Year​​
  • Ei Publican Partnerships Pub Hero of the Year

Entries are open until this Friday 31 July and the competition is sponsored by Booker, Coca-Cola European Partners, Heineken UK, Diageo, Sky, Ei Publican Partnerships, Admiral, Star Pubs & Bars, Punch Pubs and Greene King.

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