Organised by the MA, the awards, now in their 26th year, will be take place at the First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds on Wednesday 24 September 2025 for a celebration of epic proportions.
Last year saw the Tollemache Arms in Harrington, Northamptonshire, presented with the overall Great British Pub of the Year title having been initially named Best Country Pub earlier in the night.
The Wells & Co pub impressed judges with its with its smart and welcoming décor, outside kitchen and bar, beer line-up and events.
After receiving the award, co-owner Flo Pearce told The MA: “The secret of our success is surrounding ourselves with incredible people, our team [who are] inspirational.
“We are surrounded by people who want to do stuff and change the industry and are so grateful to be surrounded by people like that.”
Other category winners last year included Heston Blumenthal-owned pub the Hinds Head in Bray, Berkshire, which took the title of Best Pub for Food while fellow Berkshire pub the Swan in Windsor was named Best Community Pub.
The Best Sustainable Pub award was presented to the Pig’s Head in Clapham, south-west London, while Staffordshire’s Tamworth Tap took the award for Best Pub for Beer and Leeds pub the Myrtle Tavern was crowned Best Pub Garden.
In 2023, Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars pub the Cholmondeley Arms, Cheshire, took home the overall title of Great British Pub of the Year for its standout reputation for food & drink and its traditional features.
Its owner Tim Bird said: “I said when we opened, we can be a beacon of hope for rural pubs and for the team, this is just amazing.
Beacon of hope
“The award has helped us shine a great light on the strength of the rural pub in the UK and we are very honoured indeed to have been able to do this for others to follow.”
Other winners in 2023 included the Loch & the Tyne in Berkshire, which took the award for Best Pub for Food after judges noted its focus on sustainable British luxury.
Meanwhile, the Gaggle of Geese in Dorchester saw success in the Best Pub Garden category thanks to its myriad of activities and sprawling outdoor area and the Plough Normanton-on-the-Wolds was named Best Pub for Families with its charm and warm welcome.
The 2023 community hero was the Old Abbey Taphouse in Manchester while the Lion in Treorchy and the Last Post Remembrance Bar & Museum in Stockton-on-Tees took the title in 2022 and 2021 respectively.
Going back to 2019, the Unruly Pig in Suffolk, which is currently number one of the Top 50 Gastropubs list, took home the award for the Best for Wine.
Owner Brendan Padfield told the MA at the time: “I am just so excited. We focused on the food, we then refocused on the wine – it’s an absolute validation for all the hard work by all the team. It’s amazing, I love it.”
Chaplin’s and the Cellar Bar in Dorset was that year’s winner of Best Live Entertainment after reaching the final on several occasions.
Owner Harry Seccombe said in 2019: “We live and breathe entertainment so it’s really good to get the recognition. Six times in the final is really good but to actually win it really means a lot.”
A finalist in four categories, and winner of two – Best Freehouse and Best Pub Garden – the Bull in Ditchling, East Sussex, was one of the big winners at the 2019 awards while Greene King pub the Cott in Dartington took the overall prize that year.
With a focus on community spirit in the midst of the Covid pandemic, 2020’s awards were a little different, having been livestreamed in an emotional ceremony that demonstrated the selflessness and dedication of pub’s across the country.
Every advantage
The awards have also showcased some a number of talented chefs in the past through live cookoffs and the Best Young Pub and Best Pub Chef categories.
Past winners of the Best Young Pub accolade include Samuel McClurkin, who was chef at the Dog at Wingham pub in Kent at the time of his win in 2021 and Tiffany Long in 2022, who was with the White Hart Free House at the time of her achievement.
Karl Quirante of the Cricketers in Ormskirk, Lancashire, was crowned as the winner in 2023.
In 2019, Tom Parker, at the time chef at the White Swan in Lancashire, saw success in the Chef of the Year of the category.
As well as shining a light on the great work done by the pub sector, the event is also a one-of-kind celebration with something for everyone, from food and drink to games and live entertainment.
There have also been a number of celebrity hosts for the awards, including actor and comedian Hugh Dennis in 2019, TV host Stephen Mulhern in 2020, DJ Scott Mills in 2021, comedian Russell Kane in 2022 and DJ Edith Bowman in 2024.
Ed Bedington, editor of the MA said: “These awards have been running for over a quarter of a century now and are the pinnacle for anyone in the pub sector, recognising great sites across a range of categories, and picking out the best of the best.
“Winning at the Great British Pub Awards can mean a huge amount to the businesses that win and with the current challenges in the market, it’s vital to give your operation every advantage you can.”
- Are you running the nation’s best pub? Enter the 2024 Great British Pub Awards here.
