Anticipation was high before the event. Putting on an event of this scope and size is no small feat, with roughly 1,400 guests from across the industry set to attend.
This was the second year the awards took place at Battersea Evolution, having moved from its traditional home on Park Lane in 2016 to accommodate its growing size.
Before guests took their seats, they enjoyed a VIP reception on the venue's mezzanine, where they tested their skills at darts, golf and a range of other games.
The Morning Advertiser (MA) editor Ed Bedington welcomed the crowd and introduced Alex Lewis, who gave an emotional speech about his charity, the Alex Lewis trust. The crowd donated generously, raising a whopping £10,255 for a fantastic cause.
There’s no tip-toeing around it, New World Trading Company's (NWTC) six award wins were the story of the night. Chief executive Chris Hill looked absolutely ecstatic as he picked up the awards for Best New Site, Best Operations Team, Best Large Employer, Best Drinks Offer, Best Brand/Concept and Best Small Managed – a totally unprecedented win for the group, which is only six years old.
This was after the one and only Jonathan Ross had introduced the awards with gusto and charm. "You are the fourth emergency service," he told the audience. A hilarious but poignant reminder of the tremendous worth pubs bring to a community.
Stephen Goodyear of Young's was emotional as he was given the award for Outstanding Industry Contribution, which celebrates those long-standing, influential members of the sector who have worked tirelessly to raise standards and inspire others.
And Oakman Inns' Peter Borg-Neal was gleaming with pride after being named Business Leader of the Year following his company's win of the Best Community Pub Operator category earlier in the night.
After the awards, the crowd spilled out of the dining room to find a lavish party, featuring a live band and bars from the awards’ fantastic sponsors (listed at the bottom of this article). Rumour has it a couple of MA journalists were seen busting a move…
Some guests were lucky enough to get their photo taken with Kate & Wills. It appears the royal family are huge advocates of going to the pub...
Her Majesty also showed up. We hear one was unusually chipper – enjoy the Jägerbombs, ma’am?
Revellers partied into the early hours; winners and finalists alike enjoying some well-deserved beverages before disappearing into the London night.
Congratulations again to all our fantastic finalists and a big thanks to all our sponsors. See you next year!
The Publican Awards took place in association with Sky. Sponsors included AB InBev, Asahi UK, Britvic, CPL Training, Farm Frites, McCain Foodservice, Heineken, Coca Cola European Partners, Kuehne + Nagel, HGEM, Molson Coors, Shuffleboard, Haig Club (Diageo), Drinkaware, Fentimans, Bacardi, Southern Comfort (Hi-Spirits) and Jagermeister.