Best Brewing Pub Company - North Brewing Company/North Bar

Covid-19 could hardly come at a worse time for North, just as they embarked on the building of a new brewery, but their resilience seems to know no bounds. 

Despite facing the biggest challenge this industry has ever faced, the company managed to put endless energy into innovation, producing an amazing line-up of beers, while progressing the build.  

Many businesses may have folded. Many founders may have cut their losses. Not this team, the founders, rallied their senior managers and hatched not just a survival plan, but one that still targeted progress in these testing times.  

Over the past year, North Brewery has launched more than 60 new beers, many of which formed part of their corporate beer tasting kits that was generated during the festive period, allowing companies to explore its beer range and salvage some Christmas cheers among the doom and gloom.  

The team also launched the North Brewery Beer Club that grew to 300 members during lockdown.

Innovation wasn’t restricted to the brewery, their bars were pivoted to bottle shops when restrictions on on-sales were restricted, when ‘substantial’ meals were required, they teamed up with great street vendors to keep the business going and compliant. 

Beyond the brewery and pubs, North still found the energy to support two charities, Mind and The Blurt Foundation.

It was clear from talking to the team that getting through Covid-19 wasn’t just a fiscal challenge. The formulation of a Mental Health team to make sure all employees were looked after, demonstrated the deep care the senior team hold for all their staff – this is very much a family.

North Bar/North Brewing Co retained the title of Best Brewing Company and marketing manager Sarah Hardy said every year, the award meant even more to the business.

Just had a very exciting delivery arrive... Thank you @morningad Best Brewing Pub Company @NorthBarDrinkspic.twitter.com/pXaGj9Tphz

— North Brewing Co (@NorthBrewCo) March 31, 2021

Celebrating excellence

Ed Bedington, editor of The Morning Advertiser​, which organises the awards, said: “This year’s event has certainly been different, going from a gathering of 1,500 in Battersea to an online ceremony in the virtual world, but the ethos remains the same – celebrating excellence and there’s plenty to celebrate.

“Many companies, having faced the challenges and disasters of 2020 could be forgiven for pulling down the shutters and sitting the crisis out. Our finalists tonight, and many others in the sector, did the exact opposite of that, rose to the challenge and did some amazing things.

“We wanted to continue with the awards this year to recognise those businesses that made sacrifices and strove to not just keep going, but to improve and thrive in the teeth of a brutal storm.

“Here’s to next year when companies can get back to doing what they do best, providing outstanding hospitality experiences for their guests.”

• Check out the full list of winners from the 2021 Publican Awards ​here​​