Sponsors
With thanks to
Mitchells and Butlers
Mitchells & Butlers is the leading operator of managed pubs and pub restaurants in the UK operating around 2,000 businesses offering food, drink, entertainment and accommodation in prime locations across the UK.
The Company has developed a wide range of market-leading brands and formats such as All Bar One, Vintage Inns, Toby Carvery, Ember Inns, O'Neill's, Harvester and Sizzling Pub Co. It also operates some of the most famous classic pubs in the UK, including Deacon Brodie's in Edinburgh; the White Horse in Parsons Green, London; the Horseshoe Bar in Glasgow; and the Philharmonic in Liverpool, amongst many others. With around 3% of the pubs in the UK, Mitchells & Butlers has 10% of industry sales and average weekly sales per pub of over three times that of the average UK pub.
The Company's pubs are at the heart of many local communities across the UK and Mitchells & Butlers is proud to sponsor the Community category of The Great British Pub Awards 2008, aimed at rewarding those pubs that form the very fabric of community living.
www.mbplc.com
Innserve
Innserve is the leading technical service provider in the UK offering in house nationwide coverage 9am to 9pm 365 days a year. In addition to our maintenance and installation offering, we have a range of products and services including bespoke & BII training courses, FGas compliance visits, cellar cooling and recently developed energy saving devices. Innserve are delighted to be supporting the Great British Pub Awards and this new award for Best Cellar is a fantastic opportunity to highlight an often overlooked but crucial part of good quality beer. Innserve make about 300,000 maintenance visits a year but we haven't had the opportunity to publically support those pubs that consistently get it right until now. We want to celebrate excellent standards in all aspects of cellar management including weekly routines, adherence to H&S and passion about serving the quality pint.
www.innserveltd.co.ukCains
Cains Beer Company is a leading craft brewer of award-winning beers and lager. The company is listed on AIM and operates 100 individual pubs, mainly located in the North of England. Owners Ajmail and Sudarghara Dusanj rescued Liverpool’s Robert Cain Brewery in 2002. It was losing £2m a year and on the brink of closure before they turned it around within three years by concentrating on quality, service, innovation and the Cains brand.
The brothers completed their biggest business deal in 2007; a reverse takeover of pub operator Honeycombe Leisure. The deal led to the formation of Cains Beer Company plc, which brings together Cains' brewing operations and growing portfolio of quality branded beers with the 100 pubs formerly operated by Honeycombe. The company's Stanhope Street brewery, known as ‘The Terracotta Palace’ and widely regarded as an iconic landmark in Liverpool, was built in 1887 when the business was founded by Irish-born entrepreneur Robert Cains in 1850.
Cains is the official beer of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture Year 2008 and the brewery is closely aligned to the arts through a partnership with Britain’s Tate galleries. Supporting the Great British Pub Awards is a logical step for Cains following the launch of the company’s ‘Best of British’ concept – a £5 million investment in branded community locals.
www.cainsbeers.co.ukBudvar
Most Brits know that Budweiser Budvar is the brewer of two of the world’s greatest lager conditioned beers but not so many realise that these brews are regarded by many as the ultimate ones to match with food. That is why Budvar’s sponsorship of the Gastro-Pub category in the MA’s Great British Pub Awards is so appropriate.
Of course to the Czech way of thinking food is designed to go with the beer not the other way round .Whichever way you look at it however beer with food in the Czech mind represents two halves of the same experience. Whilst in this country beer with good food is a relatively recent concept in the Czech Republic it is simply part of the culture and no Czech brewer feels the need to engage in formal matching games.
Both Budvar Original and Budvar Dark in draught or packaged form make a magic fit with food of almost any kind. Budvar Original is excellent with tapas, with calamari and chorizo as well as with sushi. As for Dark anything char grilled goes with it as do spare ribs or Jamaican jerk, to name a few possibilities. The biggest driver of this soul mate of great food is a preoccupation with achieving excellence.
For instance Budvar’s beers are brewed without any corner cutting or penny pinching in a fabulous 100 day brewing cycle using only the finest natural raw materials to achieve the ultimate lager conditioned beer. There could surely be fewer better sponsors for this particular category of the Great British Pub Awards.
www.budweiser-budvar.comCPL Training
The Great British Pub Awards are a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of those individuals who are making a positive impact on our industry. CPL Training is delighted to support the awards and in particular, acknowledge those people who are setting the standards through effective training and development. Best Programme to Develop Pub Staff recognises those people who are raising the bar with training initiatives and helps to communicate the importance of training and development by giving a strong, positive message to the industry as a whole.
www.cpltraining.co.ukEnterprise Inns
We are once again proud to be part of these prestigious awards, which are all about turning the spotlight on the achievements of the country's very best licensed retailers. We recognise that running a great pub takes a unique kind of individual. In today's climate you need to combine passion and enthusiasm with vision and commercial expertise. The Morning Advertiser Great British Pub Awards allows us all to celebrate these qualities and reward those retailers who continue to shine. In a challenging market, with uncertain consumer confidence, retailers will need to look for even more new opportunities and respond to the change in a positive and innovative way. Against this economic backdrop, there's no doubt that to be a successful licensee you need to be at the very top of your game. These awards will focus on those who are already operating to the highest possible standard and winning in their local market, and hopefully encourage many others to follow their example.
www.enterpriseinns.comFuller's
Fuller Smith & Turner P.L.C. is based at the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, West London, and is London's last remaining traditional family brewer. Brewing has taken place on the site since the time of Oliver Cromwell, and the Fullers, Smiths and Turners have been involved since 1845. Fullers and Turners still hold key operational roles today. The Fuller's pub estate comprises over 360 pubs and hotels and stretches from London to Birmingham, Bristol and Bournemouth. Fuller's always aims to run the best pub in any area, and it focuses on four key elements - outstanding cask conditioned ales, delicious food, great wines and exemplary service.
On the brewing front, Fuller's takes great pride in the strength of its brands and continues to produce awarding-winning beers such as its flagship ale London Pride, Gales HSB, ESB, Chiswick Bitter, Discovery, Organic Honey Dew and many others. Fuller's beers have a unique record in the Campaign for Real Ale's Champion Beer of Britain competition. Fuller's has won the overall title five times, with three different beers, and its beers have taken gold medals in their respective categories no less than nine times.
Fuller's continues to produce strong financial results and good returns for shareholders. In 2005, Fuller's acquired George Gale & Co, a brewer and pub operator based in Horndean, Hampshire, in the biggest deal in the Company's history.
www.fullers.co.ukGallaher
GALLAHER SPONSORS BEST CREATIVE OUTDOOR AREA FOR MORNING ADVERTISER'S GREAT BRITISH PUB AWARDS 2008Gallaher, part of the JTI group, is one of the UK's leading tobacco manufacturers and includes brands such as Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut, Camel, Mayfair, Sterling, Amber Leaf and Hamlet amongst its portfolio. In 2007, Gallaher was acquired by Japan Tobacco Inc, one of the top 100 most profitable companies in the world.
Jeremy Blackburn, Gallaher's Head of Communications, says," Our involvement in the awards demonstrates Gallaher's commitment to the licensed trade, for whom tobacco continues to be a valuable source of profit. "There are approximately 12 million smokers in the UK and on average they will visit a pub once a week , spending a total of £445 million per year on tobacco in licensed premises . Around 34% of all cigars are smoked in and around licensed premises . Gallaher manufactures the UK's number one cigar, which accounts for almost 70% of all cigar sales in the independent licensed trade .
"It's our aim to help licensees improve the profitability of their business and accommodate their customers. As such, we support the development of outdoor areas to provide people with smoking spaces. By sponsoring this award we look forward to highlighting and rewarding leading practice."
www.gallaher-group.comPunch Taverns
It's one thing to pull pints in a pub, but imagine having the freedom and flexibility to shape that business and run it as your own. For budding entrepreneurs intent on being their own boss, the pub industry presents a wealth of exciting prospects for all and few pub companies offer the same scope of opportunities as Punch Taverns, sponsors of this year's Great British Pub Awards.Our approach to business is simple to understand and accessible to everyone. We are passionate about the 8,400 quality pubs that we operate nationwide and are keen to work in partnership with our licensees to build long-term, sustainable businesses.
In exchange for an initial capital investment and a monthly rental fee, you have the freedom to develop the pub exactly as you want to. It's far more involved than simply being a pub manager. When you take on a pub lease you get to make all the decisions, determine the exact customer offering and recruit and develop your own staff.
All Punch Taverns' licensees benefit from an industry leading support package designed to help them maximise their pub's profitability.
From an initial assessment to look at your specific requirements, Punch will support you at every stage. Our BII accredited Charter clearly outlines the expectations on both sides and our award winning training courses and dedicated Business Relationship Managers all help us to build long-term, open and honest relationships with our licensees.
So, if you're passionate about running one of our pubs then give us a call on 0844 8483279.
www.punchtaverns.comWaverleyTBS
As the biggest supplier to the independent free trade in the UK, we're proud to sponsor the Morning Advertiser's Freehouse of the Year. At WaverleyTBS we believe that the key to a successful supplier relationship is through service and support so that each of our customers can get on with the business of running their business. We've never taken the cut price approach but we do offer local telesales and delivery across 21 locations, all with the backing of a national distribution network and global supply chain.
Because we have an unrivalled portfolio of drinks, customers need only ever deal with one delivery and one invoice. We can be part of the team with You: You: Can sit down with any of our wine development experts to discuss your wine range, organise tastings, train your staff and wow customers with your wine menus and table talkers. We: Will taste over 20,000 wines each year from around the world and choose the best range for the UK market. We're passionate about quality and expertise runs through the business like, well, wine! You: Can arrange cask beer festivals with tasting notes, posters and point of sale materials.
Cask beer is the one unique drink that pubs can provide over supermarkets and we can help you corner that market! We: Deal with over 300 UK brewers and our cask ale capability is second to none in terms of range and supply. We are the number one choice if you want to make cask an important element in your business. You: Can arrange a ‘Beers of the World' drinks menu and get your customers talking about the unusual styles that they've seen on holiday. We: Are constantly expanding our Beers of the World range of specialist packaged beers and now have over 110 to choose from 32 different countries! You: Can steal a march on your competition by keeping up with drinks trends and being the first! We: Are at the forefront of new and emerging trends, so we're selling organic, biodynamic and free trade wines, organic soft drinks and super premium spirits whilst keeping up with the runaway successes of Pinot Grigio, rosé and cider.
www.waverleytbs.co.ukBreezefree
The Importance of Everything AlfrescoOne of the pleasures of summer is enjoying a drink with friends outside on a sunny day. Customers want to extend that Mediterranean feeling throughout the year. We need to offer them a comfortable environment, protection from the elements, traffic and opportunist theft. In the evening they need lighting and heating and they may wish to enjoy entertainment via an outdoor screen. Breezefree design, manufacture and install ‘Everything Alfresco' for the licensed trade throughout the UK.
There is no point in buying poor quality outdoor products. They won't last and will cost more in the long run. Awnings and parasols are no longer ‘summer only'. We need products that can be of value to our businesses all year round. Market leaders Breezefree specialise in fitting long-term solutions that enhance an outside space: a development that becomes an investment in the growth of your business.
The aim is simple: make customers comfortable and get them to linger and increase the money they spend. That possibility is hugely enhanced with quality alfresco products. Throughout the year, consider Breezefree's range; they offer everything from awnings to parasols, screens to flooring, lighting, heating, and LCD Screens.
www.breezefree.co.ukCrown Awnings
SHADING-SCREENING-HEATING-LIGHTING-SEATING-FLOORING, AUDIO-VISUAL-MULTIZONING AND GAMING. If you want to extend your business and cost effectively utilise your outside space all the year round then its time to be talking to Crown
With offices throughout England-Scotland-Ireland-Wales, we offer nationwide solutions. We are undoubtedly the number one choice for year-round-external-shading-solutions and whatever the weather we have the perfect solution for smoking-dining-drinking-dancing-viewing or playing.
We create year-round profit-centres for previously unused carparks-pavements-gardens-courtyards and even roofs. Parasols-Awnings-Terrace-Covers-Marquees, Wind-Breaks-Heating-Lighting-Decking-Furniture-Land-Scaping to full-turn-key managed systems. We have a solution for all requirements and budgets and to date have proven to be unbeaten on any price/ quality ratio.
As the longest established and largest supplier of commercial shading-solutions in the UK. We are experts on the smoking ban and assisted over 1500 businesses in Ireland and Scotland get it right first time. That's why every major pubco and brewer works with us and why we are the industry benchmark for quality and service standards.
If it's done outside and its worth doing well then its time to do it with CROWN. Please talk to us for your shading-solutions, decking, lighting, heating and furniture, external air-conditioning, pool-tables, table-call-systems, audio-visual, multizoning and indeed everything alfresco.
We can help you enhance profits and create incredible ROI's but most importantly for all, we know what works and what does not meaning that we get it right first time, you only pay once and you start earning from day one.
www.crown-awnings.co.uk
Wadworth
Wadworth have been brewing beer in Devizes at the Northgate Brewery since 1885. The Victorian Brewery is the heart of "Wadworthshire", the collective name for the area of our pub estate and our brewery where we balance innovation with a living heritage resulting in a truly individual business full of character.
At Wadworth we have the last remaining master brewery cooper maintaining our stock of oak barrels, an open copper to add a dimension to our beers and the last remaining daily delivering brewery shire horses as well as a contemporary visitor centre.
Wadworth has an estate of some 260 pubs; both tenanted and managed, including many listed buildings full of character. The award winning estate is supported by the acclaimed portfolio of Wadworth beers including the full bodied 6X, crisp golden Horizon, sessionable Henry's
IPA and the connoisseurs Bishops Tipple.
Wadworth is delighted to be supporting the Great British Pub Awards 2008 as great British pubs are the cornerstone of our business and an iconic part of our culture. We strongly believe that awarding those who perform in the pub trade is essential in order to acknowledge the hard work that goes into making a successful pub and a way of establishing a standard for the rest of the industry to work toward.
As a cask ale brewer for the last 123 years with an estate of individual pubs each with their own character we feel that we are well placed to support the cask ale pub of the year category and play a part in driving awareness and recognition of this essential area of the trade forward.
www.wadworth.co.ukGames Media
Games Media, a Scientific Games Company, is a leading digital solutions provider specialising in the design, supply and publishing of interactive pay-to-play payout content for a variety of technology platforms including entertainment and gaming terminals, betting terminals and mobile devices.
Games Media has developed an end to end digital gaming and entertainment solution for the Pub Retail market inclusive of content, systems, communication and service. The solution offers an exciting range of games creating more entertainment choice and a wider appeal delivering more income for venue.
www.games-media.comSt Austell Brewery
St Austell Brewery is an independent family owned regional brewer operating an award winning pub estate in Cornwall and Devon. We are proud to sponsor the Great British Pub Awards and to be part of celebrating excellence in our industry.With an estate of 168 houses and growing, you will find a St Austell Brewery pub in nearly every town and village in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly as well as in many areas of Devon. Each business is unique, reflecting the diversity of our region and the customers it serves, ranging from luxurious beachside hotels and high quality destination houses to intimate village inns and community pubs.
We operate a talent bank of prospective tenants and managers so when vacancies come up, we can be sure we can match the best people to the business which suits them most.
If you are in the pub trade and would like to be considered for a tenancy or management role with St Austell Brewery, we'd love to hear from you.
To join our talent bank of prospective tenants and pub managers email recruitment@staustellbrewery.co.uk
To find out more about St Austell Brewery please click on the link below.
www.staustellbrewery.co.ukEverards
Established in 1849, Everards is a traditional, independent family brewery. Based in Leicestershire, we have 166 pubs within the Midlands, all run as tenancies and leases.Everards supports great people to run great pubs and offers what we believe is the most comprehensive support package in the industry. In addition, Everards brews a range of award winning cask ales- Tiger Best Bitter (4.2% ABV), Beacon Bitter (3.8% ABV), Original (5.2% ABV) and Sunchaser Blonde (4.0% ABV) These are complimented by a number of innovative seasonal and event beers available at certain times throughout the year.
Everards have won a number of awards over the years both for cask ales and the business support offered to our stockists and licensees. The BII accredited three-tier cellar training scheme is one example which culminates in licensees brewing their own beer. Cyclops tasting notes, another winning concept developed by Everards, are fast becoming the industry norm playing a key role in educating consumers about the breadth of ales available. Everards are also the Pub Company of the Year 2008 for the second year running.
Being award winners ourselves, we are proud to support the Morning Advertiser's Great British Pub Awards.
www.everards.co.ukRedtooth
Redtooth are the largest supplier of quality pub entertainment to the licensed trade in the UK. Redtooth provides an extensive range top quality and cost-effective quizzes and currently supplies approximately 3,500 quizzes every week to 2,500 pubs.
Redtooth Poker is the largest pub poker league in the UK and is the pub poker partner of Carlsberg. The league now has over 23,000 players registered with over 1,000 pubs. 393 players in the Redtooth Poker league will win a cash prize at either regional or national finals.
Redtooth Poker now has the largest prize fund in UK Pub Poker - £53,050! Redtooth is a nominated supplier to most of the major pub companies and we are proud to be associated with an award celebrating excellence in the managed house sector.
www.redtoothpoker.comCharles Wells Pub Company
Charles Wells Ltd was formed in 1876 and, as one of its trading company's, Charles Wells Pub Company is more passionate about running successful and sustainable pubs than ever. With an estate of 250 tenanted and leased pubs predominantly based in the East Anglia, Midlands and Northern Home Counties regions our focus remains on supporting licensees to attract consumers over their doorstep. We're always looking to innovate, and manage an online solutions programme to help our retailers maximise profit from both their food and drink offerings and provide a series of bespoke business building activities to drive trade.We know the most important factor of running a successful pub is the person at the helm and enjoy working with operators with an entrepreneurial flair and the vision to try something new. Our induction programme won the BII Nita in December 2007 and was developed to equip everyone with the knowledge and tools needed to compliment their personality and drive.
With an emphasis on quality and service in everything we do, we work with our licensees to ensure they're at the heart of their community. We applaud these awards recognising the commitment, standards and achievements of retailers in our Great British Pubs.
www.charleswells.co.uk
