Held on Tuesday 6 May at the Voco St. John’s hotel in Solihull, West Midlands, the awards were attended by hundreds.
The 17 categories ranged from Community Pub of the Year to Pub Team of the Year, culminating in one venue being named Pub of the Year.
The Star in Godalming, Surrey was the overall winner and also took home the title of Beer Pub of the Year.
Service recognition
Fellow award winners included Brucan Pubs, which won Multiple Operator of the Year as well as the Downsman in Crawley, West Sussex, which was named Sports Pub of the Year.
Another multi-site operator Chris Windle took home Franchisee of the Year while Claire Dimelow, who runs the Norton Arms near Runcorn, won Outstanding Contribution, recognising 20 years’ service running the pub.
Furthermore, Jane Waterman of the White Horse in Beyton, Suffolk, who was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie in recognition of more than four decades operating the pub.
Other award winners included:
- Georgia Hodges of the Plough in Bicester, an Olive Tree Pub Company pub, who won New Licensee of the Year
- The Rose & Crown in Thorpe, Surrey, part of Barons Pub Co, won Pub Garden of the Year
- The Swan in Needham Market, Suffolk – a Hive Pub that took the title of Community Pub of the Year
- The Guy Earl of Warwick in south-east London – also a Hive Pub that won Digital Pub of the Year
- The Hallamshire Hotel in Sheffield, which was named Pub Investment of the Year
- Cambridge’s the Portland Arms, part of the Pelle Pub Company, was presented with Entertainment Pub of the Year
- Food Pub of the Year was given to the Red Lion in Milton Bryan, Bedfordshire
- The Ty’r Winch in Cardiff won Pub Team of the Year
- The Crown in Framlingham, Suffolk was named Sustainable Pub of the Year
Outstanding entries
Greene King Pub Partners managing director Dan Robinson said: “A huge congratulations to all of this year’s Night of Excellence award winners and a special shout out to the Star in Godalming for being crowned Pub of the Year.
“I continue to be blown away by the passion and dedication of our amazing partners. This year, we received hundreds of outstanding entries yet again.
“Partnering with so many great operators across the UK made selecting the winners incredibly difficult.
“It’s a real privilege to call these operators our partners and celebrate their achievements.”
