The ceremony held in September saw 17 awards presented across categories ranging from Best Beer Pub and Best Community Pub to The Great British Pub of the Year.
Speaking to The Morning Advertiser, winners from across the UK said the awards have boosted tourism and strengthened community ties.
The Black Pug in Warwick was named Star Pub of the Year, a win that owner Matthew Crowther described as a “real turning point” for the business.
“We’ve definitely noticed an increase in footfall, particularly from people travelling specifically to visit us after hearing about the award,” he said.
“We’ve had so many regulars and local businesses congratulate us. It’s strengthened our relationship with the community and reinforced why we do what we do. There’s been a renewed buzz in the pub.”
Crowther highlighted the pub had been approached by more PR, press and media companies than ever before.
He added: “It’s opened doors to conversations and opportunities that weren’t on the table before, and it’s helped raise the profile of both The Black Pug and our wider group Pug Pubs as a whole.”
Positive impact
As a result of the award, the Black Pug have organised a collaboration with Warwick racecourse called The Pug Gold cup where real pugs will be raced on the racetrack.
Chaplins & The Cellar Bar in Dorset was named Best Community Pub. Managing Director Harry Seccombe said it put the pub “on the map” and reshaped perceptions of the local area.
“We operate in a very deprived area of the country. Sometimes the area’s reputation puts people off.” he said. “So people visiting who live further away, it gives people faith in the area.
“More local people have been coming in too. They hear the news, they want to come and check the food out, they want to see what’s changed.”
Another pub which has brought community uplift is Blind Jack’s in Knaresborough, which won the award for Best Beer Pub. The award had a positive knock-on effect for the small town’s economy, with tourists travelling specifically to the town.
“What’s been really impressive is the amount of people that are actually travelling and putting in the research about what we offer, visiting the town as a whole and maybe spending a weekend locally,” co-owner Christian Ogley said.
Fellow co-owner Alice Ogley added: “We’re in a really small market town. People have been spending money within our town, so it’s done really lovely positive things not just for our pub but for our little town of Knaresborough as well.”
Since receiving the award, Blind Jack’s has appeared across BBC radio and television, national press and podcasts.
Recognition received
Pubs reported greater visibility among customers from surrounding areas. Leeds-based Pinnacle Sports & Games manager Olivia Kendall said winning Best Pub to Watch Sport has helped raise awareness of the venue’s location.
“A lot of people have become aware of where we are located in Leeds, and we’ve had a lot more people booking in who have never booked with us before,” she said. “We’ve had people from not that far come over – guests from Huddersfield, Sheffield and other parts of Yorkshire.”
The Keynsham Courtyard, located between Bristol and Bath, won Best Pub for Entertainment and has benefited from visitors travelling from both cities. Owner Robert Moore said rising city-centre costs have also played a role.
“People in the centre of town are choosing to have a better night out within a bus journey as opposed to a taxi journey,” he said.
“We are finding that people from all over are coming to visit us.”
The Fleece Inn, based in Worcestershire, won this year’s Best Country Pub. Licensee Nigel Smith said the win attracts tourists but has also reinforced the pub’s role at the heart of the village.
He added: “Winning the award has led to quite a few people from the local area sending their congratulations and calling in when they haven’t been in for a while, as well as visitors from further afield.
“It’s been reaffirming the pub’s place in the village and a recognition that we are seen to be good at what we do in the wider sphere.”
Applications for the 2026 Great British Pub Awards open in spring 2026.
