Winners of Great British Pub Awards 2016 revealed

The Bull fought off strong competition from more than 1,000 pubs across the UK the title. The overall winner is selected from the Great British Pub Awards’ 16 national category winners, listed below.

After first taking the title of Freehouse of the Year, licensee Dominic Worrall and his team were presented with the overall prize by comedian Katherine Ryan at a glittering awards ceremony at Park Lane, London tonight (5 October).

The annual awards, organised by The Morning Advertiser​, celebrate the trade’s finest operators.

The Bull

Worrall took on the pub the Bull 13 years ago, and judges were impressed with his commitment to consistently putting his money where his mouth is, leading to steadily increasing his turnover.

When Worrall was unexpectedly offered the freehold of the pub three years ago, he jumped at the chance and that led to a step-change in a business that was already flying.

Taking over the freehold has given the team the opportunity to convert existing buildings to create an expanded boutique accommodation offer and a major revamp of the pub’s kitchen facilities.

The pub has always made much of its relationships with local food suppliers, and always had an extensive drinks list including 38 wines (22 by the glass); eight house cocktails; 10 draught beers and one draught cider; five bottled beers; four bottled ciders; 38 spirits, liqueurs and fortified wines; 15 soft drinks; and 17 hot drinks.

The Bull also offers genuine career choices and training, including NVQs and WSET courses. Worrall and his team are still determined that the business remains true to its roots as a proper traditional pub.

Ed Bedington, editor of The Morning Advertiser​, said: “We’re delighted to announce the Bull as our winner of Great British Pub of the Year. This is a stunning pub and one that more than deserves the title.

“The Bull is the kind of place that everyone wishes was their local, and we’d like to congratulate Dom and his team on running such a superb site, offering great beers, great atmosphere and great food.”

The 2016 Great British Pub Awards winners are:​

Best Beer Bar/Pub: The Sheffield Tap, Sheffield​

Best Sports Pub: Famous Three Kings, Fulham, London​

Best Community Pub: The Firbank Pub & Kitchen, Wythenshawe, Manchester​

Best Family Pub: The Boot, Sarratt, Hertfordshire​

Best Wine Bar/Pub: The Red Lion & Sun, Highgate, London​

Best Food Pub: Freemasons at Wiswell, Clitheroe, Lancashire​

Best Student Pub: The Doctor's Orders, Sheffield​

Best Inn: The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston, Lancashire​

Best Managed Pub: The Botanist, Newcastle-upon-Tyne​

Best Turnaround Pub: The Grantley Arms, Wonersh, Surrey​

Best Spirits Pub/Bar: Spoken, Exmouth, Devon​

Best Cider Bar/Pub: Foleys Tap House, Leeds​

Best Freehouse: The Bull, Ditchling, East Sussex​

Best Entertainment Pub: Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath, Birmingham​

Best Newcomer: The White Mare, Beckermet, Cumbria​

Best Partnership Pub: The Hastings, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland​

Great British Pub of the Year 2016: The Bull, Ditchling, East Sussex​