Celebration time: winners across the sector were crowned at the prestigious Publican Awards (The Morning Advertiser)
See pictures of the 2026 Publican Awards winners as they celebrated their success in this photo gallery.
The Oscar’s of the pub industry returned to Evolution in Battersea, London, on Wednesday 25 March 2026 to celebrate the best in the business.
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More than 1,500 people were in attendance at the event - a record-breaking number of guests in the 35 years since the awards began.
Some 303 companies were represented, demonstrating the diversity across managed groups, independents, brewers and innovators.
See the full list of this year’s Publican Awards winners here.
With 93 entries registered across 17 categories, the awards, organised by The Morning Advertiser (The MA), are certainly something to tick off the bucket list because being named as a finalist is no mean feat.
Tasting success
The glittering ceremony was hosted by TV and radio star Rylan alongside TV presenter Mark Durden-Smith and The MA editor Ed Bedington.
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Publican Awards 2026 winners Celebrating success: businesses across the nation were honoured at the Publican Awards 2026 (The Morning Advertiser)
Best Partnership Pub Company (501+ sites) at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Greene King was this year's Best Pub Partnership Pub Company (501+ sites) (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Partnership Pub Company (up to 500 sites) at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Laine Pub Company took the title of Best Partnership Pub Company (up to 500 sites) (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Sustainable Pub Company at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: St Austell Brewery was named Best Sustainable Pub Company (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Pub Operations Team at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: the Best Pub Operations Team accolade was presented to Hickory's Smokehouse (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Pub Employer (up to 500 employees) at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Barons Pub Company was the 2026 winner of Best Pub Employer (up to 500 employees) (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Pub Employer (501+ employees) at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Butcombe Group was crowned Best Pub Employer (501+ employees) (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Pub Brand/Concept at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: BOX from Arc Inspirations was this year's winner of Best Pub Brand/Concept (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Premium Food Offer at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Ardent Pub Group took the title of Best Premium Food Offer (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Managed Pub Company (51+ sites) at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Urban Pubs & Bars was named this year's Best Managed Pub Company (51+ site) (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best New Site at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Windmill Taverns' Molly Mc's in Southwark, London was this year's Best New Site at the 2026 Publican Awards (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Managed Pub Company 2 to 50 sites at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: St Austell took the trophy of Best Managed Pub Company (2 to 50 sites) (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Experiential Operator at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Incipio Group was this year's Best Experiential Operator (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Drinks Offer at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars won Best Drinks Offer for the third time (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Food Offer at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Urban Pubs & Bars was awarded Best Food Offer (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Community Pub Operator at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Oak Taverns took the title of Best Community Pub Operator (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Brewing Pub Company at the Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards: Robinsons was named Best Brewing Pub Company (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Best Accommodation Operator at The Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards 2026: Chestnut took the title of Best Accommodation Operator (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/The Morning Advertiser)
Publican Awards 2026 Business Leader of the Year William Lees-Jones Publican Awards: William Lees-Jones was named the 2026 Business Leader of the Year (The Morning Advertiser)
The Publican Awards at Evolution, Battersea Publican Awards 2026: Social media highlight (Carl Sukonik | The Vain Photogra/Carl Sukonik)
Urban Pubs & Bars picked up two gongs on the night - Best Food Offer and Best Managed Pub Company (51+ sites).
Managing director Chris Hill said the company’s double success was down to “hard work, loving what we do and being brilliant at it”.
Urban wasn’t the only business to taste success more than twice. St Austell Brewery was named Best Sustainable Pub Company and Best Managed Pub Company (2 to 50 sites).
CEO Kevin Georgel said he was incredibly proud of the team: “We’re an amazing brewery and so proud of our beers.
“Our business comes together in our managed pubs with our beers and our teams. I couldn’t be more proud.”
An honour
Meanwhile, JW Lees boss William Lees-Jones was awarded the Business Leader of the Year title. He thanked everyone at JW Lees and said he was honoured to be crowned the title.
Other winners this year included Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars, which took home the Best Drinks Offer trophy, and Greene King, which was crowned Best Pub Partnership Company (501+) sites.
Elsewhere, Laine Pub Company took the title of Best Partnership Pub Company (under 500 sites) for the second time and this year’s Best New Site award was presented to Molly Mc’s in Southwark, London.
Attendees danced the night away after the winners were announced, with the RPJ band getting the party started. See if you were papped at the event in our party pics round-up here.
And if you want to see what people were putting on social media, just click here.
