The prestigious ceremony will be taking place at the First Direct Arena in Leeds to celebrate the best in the sector.
- Enter the 2026 Great British Pub Awards here.
Ed Bedington, editor of the MA, said: “We’ve been running the Great British Pub Awards for almost three decades now and if you’re running a pub, this is the accolade you want to win.
“Customers are becoming more discerning by the minute and the ability to tell the punters that you’re an award-winning operation can be a huge boost to any business.
“The awards look at excellence across a wide range of categories, all attuned to consumer habits and needs, from the best pub to watch sport through to the best pubs to take a family, and judges benchmark each business against a range of criteria to pick out the best of the best.”
Huge boost
Bedington highlighted the benefits of entering and outlined the business impact former champions have seen.
He added: “Entering the awards itself is also a great way to take a step back and assess your business and see where your strengths and weaknesses are. Making it to the finals, let alone winning will give your operation a huge boost, so I’d urge all pub operators to get their entries in now!
“Previous winners of the awards have seen increases in footfall by more than 50% and huge boosts to their turnover as a result, so don’t delay - get your entry in.”
This year, a new category has been added in - Best Inn, which recognises pubs with an accommodation offer.
Bedington said: “Staycations are booming and pubs that are adapting their businesses to meet that opportunity are doing well.
“We want to recognise the best operators in that sector and help keep the tourists flocking.”
The full list of categories for entry are:
- Best Pub for Dogs
- Best Pub for Entertainment
- Best Pub for Families
- Best Pub for Food
- Best Pub Garden
- Best Pub to Watch Sport
- NEW Best Inn
- Community Pub of the Year
- Best Country Pub
- Best Town Pub
- Best Beer Pub
Judges will also be assessing:
- Admiral Tavern’s Pub of the Year
- Greene King Pub of the Year
- Marston’s Pub of the Year
- Punch Pubs & Co Pub of the Year
- Star Pubs Pub of the Year
- Stonegate Pub of the Year
So what are you waiting for? Start your entry now to be in with a chance of being named the Great British Pub of the Year.
