Meet the finalists: Best Community Operator sponsored by Britvic

Craft Union Pub Company​

Craft Union Pub Company has more than 400 sites across the UK. The philosophy of the company is to put pubs back into the heart of communities. Its operation focuses on having self-employed managers who have the freedom to focus on customers and engaging with the community while Craft Union handles the rest.

The group has focused on raising money for charitable causes. During the first lockdown it created an online network on Facebook to unite everyone from the operators to the pub support teams to provide support, engagement, fundraising ideas and best practice.

Its Tears for Tiers campaign, which saw it work with hospitality charity Only a Pavement Away, saw members of the ‘Craft Squad’ help organise food banks and started a toy appeal to ensure every local child wakes up with a Christmas present. The group has supported hundreds of charities over the past year raising a six-figure sum.

Everards Brewery

Founded in 1849, Everards has more than 150 pubs across the East Midlands. It recently opened Everards Meadows near Enderby in Leicestershire, which houses the new brewery alongside a coffee house in 70 acres of countryside.

This has created a space for all members of the community to enjoy the facilities as well as the local businesses.

Amid the pandemic, pubs raised money for local causes and rallied around their communities.

Furthermore, the business has its Everards Community Excellence Fund where £40,000 is available to support community projects within 20 miles of an Everards pub.

The Everards family established The Everard Family Foundation as a trust in 1979 in a bid to support communities and charity work.

The company has also supported charities including Age UK Leicestershire & Rutland, Warning Zone, Leicestershire Cares and ProstAid.

Over the years, the Everard Family Foundation has donated millions to many local causes in their communities.

Wells & Co

Bedford-based Wells & Co has almost 200 pubs across France and England and has opened its new brewing home Brewpoint in July 2020. The company focuses on running great pubs and making great beer and ensuring guests have experiences they would recommend to friends.

The business gets the views of local residents when opening new sites in a bid to ensure the pub is at the heart of the community.

The pubs offer community events such as hireable spaces for local groups alongside fundraising activities and quizzes.

During the pandemic, the company raised money for various local causes with initiatives such as donating money from dishes on the menu to charities close to the community’s hearts.

• Check out the full list of finalists at the 2022 Publican Awards here​.​