Theme Awards winners announced
The top bars and operators in the country have been celebrated at a ceremony held by The Publican's sister title Theme.
The winners of the Theme Bar & Restaurant Awards 2009 picked up their prizes last night in a ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London.
More than 400 people, the cream of the bar industry, packed into the hotel's ballroom to hear the results in an evening introduced by Theme managing editor Ian Cameron and presented by GQ editor Dylan Jones.
It was London's year, with most of the winning venues emanating from the capital, though Dublin triumphed in the Late Night bar of the Year category, Belfast in the UK Bar of the Year category, and Reading took the title of Bartender of the Year through Mix bartender Rob Poulter.
And all were upstanding for the choice of Outstanding Achievement of the Year, won by legendary bartender Peter Dorelli, former head bartender of the Savoy's American Bar.
Here's the list of winners in full:
Classic Design of the Year
Shortlist:
Bob Bob Ricard in Soho by David Collins
Dockmasters House at Canary Wharf in east London by Design LSM
The East Room in Old Street, east London by Mango Architecture
Kettners in Soho by Studio Ilse
Quo Vadis, Soho, by Eddie Hart and Andy Martin Associates.
Winner: The East Room.
Contemporary Design of the Year
Shortlist
Callooh Callay in Shoreditch, east London, with design by DTwo Design
The Double Club in Islington, north London, by Carsten Holler
Nando's, in the Liverpool One retail development by Harrison Design
Ten Feet Tall, Cardiff, designed by Lee Broom
The Hoxton Pony, Shoreditch, east London, by Yanik Allard.
Winner: It's Callooh Callay
Design of the Year under £100k
Shortlist
Barts in Chelsea, west London
Flash at the Royal Academy of Arts in Mayfair
Liquid Nation in Notting Hill, west London
Muriel's in Belfast
Studio2 in Liverpool.
Winner: It's Liquid Nation
One to Watch (Design)
Shortlist
Yanik Allard, for pushing Shoreditch's boundaries with the Hoxton Pony
Lee Broom, for his ever-inventive hospitality interiors and his award-winning furniture range that's attracting international attention
Dave Knight and Dom Taylor of DTwo Design, for their wide ranging work across a range of completely different hospitality venues, and brand creative work across the drinks industry, notably through their relationship with Beefeater
Winner: Dave Knight and Dom Taylor of DTwo Design
Late Night Bar of the Year
Shortlist
Bacaro in Edinburgh
Ghost Inc in South Kensington, London
The One Below in Edinburgh
Penthouse 995 in Dublin
Whisky Mist at Zeta in Mayfair.
Winner: Penthouse 995
Beer Venue of the Year
Shortlist
The Lexington in King's Cross, north London
Lowlander in Covent Garden
The Rake in London Bridge
Zero Degrees in Cardiff.
Winner: The Rake
Restaurant of the Year
Shortlist
Italian restaurant Bocca di Lupo in Soho
Sir Terence Conran's Boundary/Albion project in Shoreditch, east London
The Grill on the Alley in Manchester, still drawing plaudits
Contemporary Indian restaurant Mint Leaf Lounge in the City of London
Vegan high end dining venue Saf, in Shoreditch, east London
Winner: Bocca di Lupo
Multiple Operator of the Year
Shortlist
Be At One, fast-growing 10-strong London operator, based on an almost entirely wet-led business model
D&D Group, skilfully managing the former Conran group's restaurants and in doing so maintaining their quality and respect within the industry
Ed and Tom Martin's chain of top scale pubs that articulate all that's good about the great British boozer, under ETM Group
Living Ventures, continuing to pioneer across the industry with old brands and an uncanny ability to predict what the market needs next
Marston's for Bluu Bar Brasserie, showing big breweries can do stylish venues and interesting concepts when they put their minds to it.
Winner: Ed and Tom Martin
Bar Team of the Year
Shortlist
69 Colebrooke Row in Islington, led by leading drinks alchemist Tony Conigliaro
Callooh Callay in east London, led by Richard Wynne
MOJO in Liverpool, led by Mal Evans
Salvatore's Bar at Fifty in Mayfair, led by the legendary Salvatore Calabrese
Tini in Kinghtsbridge, led by Gianfranco Spada
Winner: Callooh Callay
New Bar of the Year
Shortlist
Callooh Callay, Shoreditch, east London
The Hoxton Pony, Shoreditch, east London
MOJO, Liverpool
Whisky Mist at Zeta in Mayfair
Winner: The Hoxton Pony
UK Bar of the Year
Shortlist
La Perla, in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden.
Mahiki, in Mayfair, London
The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
Punk, Soho
Salvatore's at Fifty
Winner: The Merchant Hotel
One to Watch (Bar)
Shortlist
Giles Gavin-Cowan, apprentice to Tony Conigliaro at Drink Factory
Julian de Feral, winning practically every competition going and currently residing at Sir Terence Conran's new members club Lutyens
Richard Wynne owner of Callooh Callay and former manager of Lounge Lover, can't wait to see what he does next
Winner: Julian de Feral
Bartender of the Year
Finalists
Tom Bulmer from the Light Bar at the St Martin's Lane Hotel
Ryan Chetiyawardana from Bramble, Edinburgh
Sam Fish from Mojo, Leeds
Jack McGarry from The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
Steven McGirr from Bond No. 9 in Edinburgh
Jon Hepplestone from Skippy's at Trio in Leeds
Tom Higham from Menzel's in Sheffield
Lee Hyde from Laguna at the Park Plaza in Cardiff
Eric Lorinz from The Connaught in London
Rob Poulter from Mix in Reading
Manuel Soro from Salvatore's Bar in London
Nick Thomas from Mojo Liverpool
Third place: Manuel Soro
Second place: Ryan Chetiyawardana
Winner: Rob Poulter
Outstanding Contribution
Winner: Peter Dorelli
