The business, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and has 626 pubs operating at the heart of local communities across the UK, impressed with its ongoing investment and strong results in the past year driven by its clear strategy based around value, sport and community.
Craft Union clearly understands the value of reinvesting in wet-led community pubs, including in many of the UK’s most deprived areas.
Energy and passion
Judges also highlighted for praise the energy and passion for the senior leadership team for continuing to driving the business forward in these challenging times, including the positive changes made to its operator agreement.
Craft Union was also praised for the great community focused initiatives and events going on in its pubs, including bingo afternoons, book clubs, walking and knit and natter groups and creating community memory books.
Its support of grass roots sport was also praised, as were its supplier partnerships which not only enable it to continue great value pricing to its customers, but also help support exciting new initiatives such as its darts competition.
Local causes
Stand out initiatives include the development of its new late-night model and Centres of Excellence for operator support, as well as its ‘Make it a Million’ fundraising campaign.
This impactful initiative launched last February, has seen its operators host more than 2,000 fundraising events to collectively raise £1m, which has helped to support 650 local causes, including families and individuals in need.
Other successful projects praised include its ‘Winter Warmth’ campaign, with over 4,000 items of warm clothing and supplies collected for local homeless charities and those struggling to heat their homes. Also, its Santa’s Toy Sack Appeal, which sees thousands of gifts donated to children in hardship, hospitals and hospices.
