Hundreds of pubs chosen as the country’s best

Over 250 venues are now in the running for a National Pub & Bar Award

Pub and bar operators from hundreds of venues across the UK are celebrating ahead of the long Easter weekend, as more than 250 businesses raise a glass to being nominated for a National Pub & Bar Award.

The annual event, which returns to London on Tuesday 24 June, highlights an eclectic range of venues across the whole of the UK by naming 94 sites as the best in their respective counties.

In a change-up to previous years, the 94 County Winners will be announced live at the event, as well as Highly Commended venues for each area. In total, 256 pubs and bars – listed below – have been shortlisted throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“The aim of the National Pub & Bar Awards is simple,” says Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, which runs the event. “We want to showcase how brilliant these businesses are and how valuable pubs and bars are to fabric of society across the whole of the UK.

“It has never been harder in hospitality. Whether it’s a countryside pub with rooms or a city centre bar showing live sport, these operations deserve widespread recognition and more customers – hopefully the National Pub & Bar Awards can help with both.”

The awards look at a number of elements that affect the customer journey, including marketing, digital presence, design, service, style of offer and investment. The venues now have over two months in which to trade off their achievement, before making their way to the National Pub & Bar Awards grand final in June.

Held at Big Penny Social in London, the final will welcome all 256 nominees to come together and celebrate their success, before discovering which venues will go on to become County and Regional Winners.

The awards night will also crown the Pub Group of the Year, Bar Group of the Year, The Tyrrells Tyrrellbly Good Taste Award – presented by the event’s headline sponsor – and, ultimately, the overall National Pub & Bar of the Year.

On top of that, the 2025 event will launch the Top 10 Pubs & Bars in the UK list, which has been voted for by hundreds of operators from across the country.

The National Pub & Bar Awards 2025 is sponsored by Tyrrells, Booker, Cawston Press, ICRTouch, Randall Parker Food Group, Sky Business and Strongbow. The full list of nominees can be found below.

For further information, quotes or images, please contact h2oawards@fsc.uk.com

Northern Scotland

Aberdeenshire

Beekies Neuk

The Boat Inn, Aboyne

Angus

The Birkhill Inn

The Picture House

Argyll and Bute

Macgochans

Tigh An Truish

City of Aberdeen