Scotland’s licensed trade celebrated in style at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards on August 15th after the crème de la crème of the industry picked up industry gongs at the event held at The Glasgow Hilton, Glasgow
Glasgow pipped Edinburgh for the number of gongs given out with Saint Luke’s, Atlantic Bar & Brasserie, Vroni’s, the Bier Halle and Bag O’Nails all receiving accolades. However Edinburgh bars Bon Vivant and Hamilton’s flew the flag for the capital city. The Bon Vivant is Scotland’s Disaronno Cocktail Bar of the Year while Hamilton’s picked up the Tennent’s Quality Award.
Ayrshire businessmen Bill Costley of Costley & Costley and Colin Blair of Buzzworks were applauded by the guests as Bill received the Gordon & MacPhail Award for Success while Colin picked up the accolade Flow Entrepreneur of the Year. Meanwhile Arran’s Linda Johnson of Auchrannie was given a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Renfrewshire-based Manorview Hotels won the Bright Signals Social Media Award while Eaglesham pub The Swan was voted best for Casual Dining.
Galashiels was represented by The Clovenfords Hotel which won the Diageo Award for Social Responsibility and Community having opened a village shop in the pub.
Saint Luke’s in Glasgow was not only the favourite Dog Friendly Pub in Scotland but it also picked up the coveted Sunday Mail Pub of the Year Mirror, after judges deemed it the very best out of all the winners.
Stirling’s The Birds & Bees was given the top award in the category Sunday Mail Pub Spy of the Year.
Uddingston business Angels Hotel won the award for the best Renovation of the Year for its incredible make-over, and Bag O’Nails in Glasgow won the Kopparberg Independent Bar of the Year accolade. Vroni’s won Inverarity-Morton Wine by the Glass award and Atlantic Bar & Grill won the BII Customer Service Award. The Bier Halle team in Glasgow received the gong for Molson Coors Craft Beer Bar.
Whisky Bar of the year was hotly contested with The Keys in St Andrews the worthy recipient and the Country Pub of the Year title was won by The Old Mill Inn in Pitlochry. Makar Gin New Bar of the Year was presented to Milngavie establishment Finsbay.
The William Grant Bar Apprentice of the Year went to James Marchant-Wink of Rabble in Edinburgh.
The Awards, which were established 22 years ago, are the longest running honours for the Scottish licensed trade. They are run by industry publication DRAM. Said Publisher, Susan Young, “It’s great to see the standard of Scotland’s bars and pubs. They are a real credit to our hospitality industry. Well done, everyone.”
Photographs will be available from Thursday online at dramscotland.co.uk. If higher resolution images are required contact 0141 221 6965.