While the Top 50 list is based on an in-depth poll of industry experts, the Business Innovation of the Year award, Newcomer of the Year award and Front-of-House Manager of the Year award are all open to any pub.
Making it onto the list is the ambition of any top chef working in a pub and entering the awards that run alongside the list is a great way to get recognition for your business and to raise your profile within the industry, Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s food editor Nicholas Robinson said.
“Taking any opportunity to raise the profile of your pub and the great food you serve could bring great benefits,” he added.
“Firstly, it allows you to promote your pub as an award-winning venue and secondly it boosts your presence, putting you in a better position to be recognised by the top 50 Gastropubs Award’s Regional Voting Academy.”
‘Promote your pub’
This year’s winners of the three specialist awards, which were announced in January, included the Richmond Arms for Business Innovation of the Year; the Royal Oak for Front-of-House Manager of the Year; and the Truscott Arms for Newcomer of the Year.
Winning words
It has had a remarkable impact on our business. As we were the highest placed pub in London the Evening Standard ran a piece on us and the general press around the awards was great. We will be entering again, although nothing will compare with last year!
- Source: Fishwick
Andrew Fishwick, who owns the Truscott Arms in Maida Vale and recently opened the Truscott Cellar in Belsize Park, said: “Being named as Best Newcomer of the Year, Highest New entry and 10th overall at the Top 50 Gastropubs Awards was a truly extraordinary experience.
“It has had a remarkable impact on our business,” he added. “As we were the highest placed pub in London the Evening Standard ran a piece on us and the general press around the awards was great. We will be entering again, although nothing will compare with last year!”
The list and the awards will be presented by Top 50 Gastropubs veteran and two Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge of the Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Kerridge, who topped the list in 2012, 2013 and 2014 has retired from the list and is now in the Top 50 Gastropubs Hall of Fame, will be presenting the awards for the second year in a row.
‘Honour and really exciting’
He said: “It’s an honour and really exciting to be presenting the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs Awards 2016. To be able to name the 50 best gastropubs in the UK for a second year in a row is something really special.”
The full list and the winners of the three specialist categories will be announced at an exclusive lunch at Hermitage Road Bar and Restaurant, Hertfordshire, on 25 January 2016.
To find out more about the awards and how to enter the three specialist categories, click here. Voting is now underway and will close on Friday 23 October.
Meanwhile, every pub on the Top 50 list will have its wine list judged for a specialist Wine List of the Year Award. The overall winner of the award will be judged by wine specialists Berkmann Wine Cellars.
Top 50 Gastropubs 2016 is sponsored by Estrella Damm and associated partners include Berkmann Wine Cellars and Appletiser and Schweppes.