This year’s winners will be revealed in a glittering ceremony at the First Direct Arena in Leeds tonight (Wednesday 23 September), hosted by comedian, actress, presenter and writer Suzi Ruffell.
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It follows months of rigorous judging, with industry experts visiting some 96 pubs across the country.
Spanning 16 categories, from Best Pub for Beer to Best Pub Garden, Best Pub for Entertainment and Best Pub for Dogs, the awards celebrate excellence across the UK’s pub sector.
New category
This year also saw the introduction of a new category, Best Inn, showcasing the very best of the nation’s pubs with rooms.
Ahead of the festivities, editor of The Morning Advertiser (The MA), which organises the awards, Ed Bedington, said: “The Great British Pub Awards are a chance to celebrate the incredible passion, innovation and dedication that exists across our sector.
“The quality of this year’s finalists has been exceptional, highlighting the vital role pubs play at the heart of communities across the country. We look forward to recognising some truly outstanding businesses tonight.”
One lucky pub will also be crowned the overall Great British Pub of the Year at the awards, dubbed the “Oscars” of the pub industry.
Last year’s overall winner, the Crown Wharf in Staffordshire, which also took the title of Best Town Pub, told The MA the venue had seen a “significant increase” in footfall after winning the accolade.
Brilliant response
The pub, which is a Joules Brewery site, estimated sales were up approximately 33% year-on-year across the week following the 2025 event, and 22.9% the first full month after.
Joules brand manager Georgia Charlton-Briggs said: “The team went along proud to be finalists, so to then be named Best Town Pub and Best Pub in Britain was a huge moment.
“The response since has been brilliant, with new guests discovering the pub, regulars sharing in that pride, and a real sense of reassurance that the way we do things day to day really matters.”
If you’re attending the awards tonight, share your experience on social media and tag The Morning Advertiser for the chance to be featured in our social media round-up tomorrow.
For those not lucky enough to be in Leeds, you can stream the event live from 9.25pm on YouTube here.
The finalists for 2026 are:
Best Beer Pub
The Railway, Ringwood, Hampshire
The Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan
The Butcher’s Dog, Ashley Cross, Dorset
The Tamworth Tap, Tamworth, Staffordshire
The Victoria & Commercial, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Crown Inn, Oakengates, Telford, Shropshire
Best Country Pub
The Mutton at Hazeley Heath, Hook, Berkshire
The Tollemache Arms, Harrington, Northamptonshire
The Old Hall Inn & The Papermill, High Peak
The Acorn Inn, Dorchester, Dorset
The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Worcestershire
The Red Lion, Cranford, Northamptonshire
Best Pub for Dogs
The Cavendish Pub, Marylebone, west London
The Freston Boot, Freston, Suffolk
The Milbourne Arms, Carlisle, Cumbria
The High Corner Inn, Linwood
The Maltings, Warrington, Cheshire
The Red Lion, Long Compton, Warwickshire
Best Pub for Entertainment
Almondsbury Creative, Almondsbury,
The Freston Boot, Freston, Suffolk
The Milbourne Arms, Carlisle, Cumbria
Black Swan Public House and Theatre, North Walsham, Norfolk
The Ship Inn, Porthleven,
The Blue Bell, Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire
Best Pub for Families
The Plough, Prestbury, Gloucestershire
The Old Thatch, Wimborne
Almondsbury Creative, Almondsbury
The Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk
Clissold Arms Pub, Muswell Hill, north London
Puss in Boots, Offerton, Stockport
Best Pub for Food
The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman’s Rest, Slaggyford, Cumbria
The Charlton Arms, Ludlow, Shropshire
The Rum Fox, Grindleton, Lancashire
The Loch and the Tyne by Adam Handling, Old Windsor, Berkshire
The Dog at Wingham, Wingham, Kent
The Bull at Charlbury, Charlbury, Oxfordshire
Best Pub Garden
The Tichborne Arms, Alresford, Hampshire
Myrtle Tavern, Meanwood, Leeds
The Ship Inn, Porthleven,
The Tartan Fox by Adam Handling, Newquay, Cornwall
Kirkstall Bridge Inn, Kirkstall, Leeds
The Bulls Head, Mobberley, Cheshire
Best Inn
The Marquis of Granby, Alkham, Dover, Kent
The Lion Malpas, Malpas
The Queen’s Arms, Corton Denham, Somerset
Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax, West Yorkshire
The Bull & Swan, Stamford, Lincolnshire
The George, Hathersage, Hope Valley
Best Pub to Watch Sport
Spy Bar, Jesmond, Newcastle
Pinnacle Sports & Games, Leeds, West Yorkshire
The Whitmore Tap, Bristol
Cricketers Arms, Wimborne, Dorset
GOAT, Nantwich, Cheshire
The Kings Arms in Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands
Best Town Pub
The Ship Tavern, Holborn, west London
Dr Foster, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
The Dog & Collar, Liverpool, Merseyside
The Keynsham Courtyard, Keynsham, Bristol
Cock ‘N’ Bull.Co, Stourbridge, West Midlands
Kennedy’s Irish Bar, Didsbury, Manchester
Best Community Pub
The Milestone, Willenhall, West Midlands
Coach & Horses, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Lock & Quay Community Pub & Gardens, Bootle, Merseyside
The Swan, Clewer, Berkshire
Black Swan Public House and Theatre, North Walsham, Norfolk
Chaplins & The Cellar Bar, Boscombe, Dorset
Admiral Taverns Pub of the Year
Crown, Fordham, Ely
Border Terrier, Marden Estate, North Shields
Harp, Little Neston, Wirral
Angel, Poole
Ashmore Inn, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton
Chrystal Bell, Glasgow
Greene King Pub of the Year
The Dolphin, Wallingford, Oxfordshire
The Broken Cross, Rudheath, Cheshire
The Greyhound, Finchampstead
The Old Ship Inn, Perth
Royal Oak, Lewes, East Sussex
The Salutation, Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Punch Pubs Pub of the Year
The Anglesey Arms, Halnaker, West Sussex
The Travellers Inn, Sheffield
Rattlebone Inn, Malmesbury
Salmon Leap, Southampton
The Piper, Chester
The Garricks Head, Manchester
Marston’s Pub of the Year
The Crown at Albrighton, Wolverhampton
Honey Bee, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Longshore, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
The Newton Grange, Brasside, Durham
Warton Arms, Beverley, East Yorkshire
White Hart Inn, Aston-on-Trent, Derby
Stonegate Pub of the Year
Star, Sandal
Cobbler, Pontefract
Ship, Ospringe
Three Horseshoes, Cranleigh
Bell Inn, Broadheath
Gower Inn, Swansea
