Cheshire Pub Company
North west-based business Cheshire Pub Company focuses on ensuring each of its venues is unique, with its own sense of style and charm.
The company puts community at its heart with a monthly senior social lunch and club, live music on Sunday afternoons, alongside comedy and psychic evenings.
Furthermore, Cheshire Pub Company supports the wider community with its fundraising for charities such as the NSPCC.
Each venue has an extensive drinks menu, carefully curated from local suppliers as well as its food offer – a daily menu serving fresh, uncomplicated dishes, full of variety and flavour alongside chef’s daily specials.
Its site the Churchill Tree in Cheshire’s swanky Alderley Edge, which is also up for Best New Site, is named after a sweet chestnut tree planted by a young Winston Churchill in Alderley Park in the early 20th century.
With plans to grow and develop further, the future looks bright for this dynamic, multi-site business.
Brewhouse & Kitchen
Brewpub multiple operator Brewhouse & Kitchen operates a nationwide portfolio of 22 sites, each housing its own working brewery.
Founded in 2013 by Kris Gumbrell and Simon Bunn, the business has an all-day menu featuring pub classics alongside its signature beer can chicken with beers complementing its traditional and US-inspired dishes.
It has a strong focus on training and development, feeding into its Brewing Happiness ethos that aims to put its people first.
In 2021, the company opened its first Brewtel concept in Worthing, West Sussex, adding another dimension to this business.
The company also offers a plethora of experiences including a beer masterclass, whisky and beer pairing, gin tasting masterclass and a brewery experience day.
The business is a former winner of Best Managed Pub Company 2-50 sites when it impressed judges with its operation in 2018.
Brewhouse & Kitchen is also in the running for this year’s Best Brewing Pub Company and Best Pub Employer (up to 500 sites).
Urban Pubs & Bars
Founded by Nick Pring and Malcolm Heap in 2014, Urban Pubs & Bars has grown to its now 40 strong estate of pubs, bars and restaurants across the capital.
Its diverse portfolio includes venues such as Bat & Ball in Westfield Stratford where guests can enjoy ping pong, live sport, craft beer, cocktails and pizza.
Furthermore, sites such as Nest in Bishopsgate boasts an impressive cocktail menu, while Dehesa in Soho offers tapas and charcuterie, taking inspiration from Spanish and Italian cuisine.
Urban keeps its team at its heart with them playing a pivotal role in creating this eclectic mix of unique venues.
A former winner in the Best Managed Pub Company 2-50 category, Urban focuses on acquiring the best sites in the right locations.
Towards the end of 2021, it purchased 13 sites from London-based business Barworks and has been integrating the venues into the business.
Growth has been a focus for Urban and it appears further expansion could be on the horizon for these seasoned operators.
Upham Group
A unique collection of premium pubs and inns, Upham prides itself on providing venues that are relaxed, welcoming and individual, celebrating the character of the local areas they serve.
Its estate covers swathes of Hampshire and dips its toe into Berkshire, Sussex and Wiltshire with plans to increase the portfolio.
Seasonality and local produce is an area the business ensures is at the core of its offer, which is plentiful in the beautiful area it operates in/
Upham selects sites with character and charm, largely in country locations that have previously suffered from a lack of investment and care before it improves, reinvigorates and upgrades them to bring them back to life.
Menus highlight flavoursome British classics with seasonal tastes and regional specialities, focusing on high quality, country-style dining.
With plans to increase the portfolio, Upham is demonstrating how to do rooms right.