Best New Site winner, sponsored by Heineken: BrewDog Waterloo

The venue was crowned Best New Site at the Publican Awards 2023​ on Wednesday 29 March at London Evolution in Battersea.

Judges were impressed with the venues ability to suit all needs, day and night, be it a family enjoying a game of duckpin bowling and a burger, breakfast in the coffee shop or becoming a beer aficionado at the site’s beer school.

BrewDog Waterloo also boasts co-working spaces, which double up as games tables after office hours for post-work drinks, with zoom booths for private calls, meeting rooms and a podcast room.

Handling challenges 

Additionally, customers can also hideaway in a ‘secret’ 1920’s style speakeasy, headed up by award-winning mixologist Rich Woods.

Food wise BrewDog​ Waterloo follow’s the brands classic menu of wings, pizza and burgers but with the added benefit of sandwiches and pastries from the franchised GRIND coffee shop, located near the site’s microbrewery and beer school.

The venue also has a wide selection of BrewDog drinks, which is fully accessible, including 30 different beers typically on offer at a time, as well as a variety of the brand’s spirits portfolio.

For those wanting something sweet there is an ice-cream van on the upper level.

Judges also applauded how the company, which has 72 sites in the UK and eight in the US, had handled the challenges of opening such a large venue (27,000 sqft) in a train station, especially amid ongoing train strikes and used this to their advantage.

Effort and attention 

For example, by adding a shop area to the bar to serve cans of takeaway ‘train beers’.

Overall, the site demonstrated a strong operation with a sturdy and consistent turnover since opening in August 2022.

Speaking at the event​, BrewDog Bars CEO James Brown said the team were “most proud” of the Best New Site Accolade.

He said: "We are super proud of the team that have gone through the process for these awards and delivered an awesome experience for our customers.

"We have an awesome team in [the Waterloo] venue, we put a lot into that site, a lot of love and effort and attention."