Licensees from 83 pubs were recognised as finalists and winners in 15 categories ranging from family friendly pub to top sports bar.
The awards took place at the Titanic Hotel & Rum Warehouse in Liverpool and was hosted by celebrity chef and Star Pubs & Bars licensee, Simon Rimmer. He even got to award himself the Retailer of the Year gong for the Flying Pig & Lobster, which he set up with Roy Ellis and Neil McCloud.
John and Kimberly Calton and partner James Laffan of the Staith House, North Shields, which was named Food Pub of the Year in the PMA's Great British Pub Awards in September, won another accolade when the pub was named Star Pub of the Year.
The award recognised the trio’s amazing transformation of a run down pub serving no food into one of the country’s top food pubs in just two years.
Innovation
Chris Jowsey, Star Pubs & Bars trading director, said: “By focusing on retail standards, independent licensees are successfully challenging big branded outlets, winning customers looking for a more unique and individual experience.
“The Star Awards is one of the high points of our year and it was exciting to have so many brilliant licensees together at one event. Whilst the judges reported that they could see the impact of the increased investment that we and our licensees have made in our pubs, it is the innovation, resilience and ‘can do’ attitude of licensees that is ensuring the enduring popularity and the continued relevance of the great British pub.”
The full winners are:
Best Bar Team - Alex Cook, The Mill, Stokesley
Live Sports Venue - Weston Castle, the Queens Arms, Aintree
Team Training - Dee Allan and Lance Nuttall, the Woolpack, Burgess Hill
Heart of the Community - Pete Robinson and Ness Wilkinson, the Wheatsheaf, Woodplumpton
Famous for Food - Justin Sleath and Joe Cussens, Hare & Hounds, Bath
Most Family Friendly - Graham Anderson and Sharon Stanton, the Eastfield Inn, Bristol
Best Outdoor Pub - Colin Stuart and Kenny Watson, CookHouse Pub & Carvery, Prestatyn
Pint Perfection - David King, City Tavern, Newcastle
Best Cask Pub - Ross Evans, the Ship Tavern, Holborn, London
Marketing - Iain Pert and Gordon Gilhooley, the Jolly Botanist, Edinburgh
Best Use of Social Media - Darren and Kelly Lea, the Faulkner Arms, Hoole
Best Newcomer - Emily and Are Kolltveit, the Chandos Arms, Colindale
Retailer of the Year - Flying Pig & Lobster, The Elephant Pub and Bakehouse, Woolton
Responsible Retailer - Alan Frith, the William Hardwicke, Bognor Regis
Star Pub of the Year - John and Kimberley Calton and James Laffan, the Staith House, North Shields