Our best pubs and hotels for 2019 have been revealed...
We are delighted to announce our best pubs and hotels for 2019!
The Griffin Trophy is the most prestigious award in the Fuller's calendar, recognising the best pubs judged on quality of service, food and ambience. This year’s awards were held at the historic Brewer’s Hall in Barbican on 21 November, where £20K worth of prizes were awarded to the winners and runners-up.
Competing against an estate of over 400 pubs across Fuller’s managed and tenanted estate, there were four categories, including Best City/London Pub, Best Hotel/Inn, Best Town/Local Pub and Best Country/Village Pub. An overall winner was selected to receive the prestigious Griffin Trophy Award, winning title of Fuller’s best pub for 2019.
The finalists of each category were visited by Fuller’s Chairman Michael Turner, Chief Executive Simon Emeny, and Corporate Affairs Director Richard Fuller, for the final round of judging. The winners for 2019 are listed below...
Fuller’s best pub for 2019:
Overall winner: The Half Moon, Herne Hill
The Half Moon in Herne Hill is this year’s winner of The Griffin Trophy. The pub, run by Matthew Dutson, won the top prize ahead of nearly 400 other Fuller’s pubs.
Fuller’s Chairman Michael Turner said: “This is a well-earned award for Matt and I’m delighted to be presenting it to him. The Half Moon is a stunning pub steeped in cultural history and at the heart of its local community.”
Matthew Dutson [pictured above], Manager of The Half Moon, said: “I am really chuffed with winning this award – it’s a fantastic surprise. My team and I have been on quite a journey with The Half Moon – so I’d like to thank them, and our customers, for making my pub a truly special place.”
Mike Blizzard, Head Chef of The Half Moon, added: “This was our first year entering the Griffin Trophy Award and winning is such a shock. I’ve held the food at The Half Moon at very high standards since day one, and I’ve had the same core crew in the kitchen since we opened. This is recognition of the standard of food and service we provide at The Half Moon. We’ll certainly be celebrating with a beer or two!”
The prize for the winning pub comprises a £5,000 holiday, a staff party, an engraved plaque and the coveted Griffin Trophy itself.
Winners: The Half Moon Head Chef Mike Blizzard and Manager Matthew Duston collect their award from Fuller’s Chairman Michael Turner.
Best Town/Local Pub:
Winner: The Prince Albert, Twickenham
Runner up: The Still & West, Portsmouth
The Prince Albert in Twickenham [above], run by Ken Maguire, won Fuller’s Best Town/Local Pub category.
Ken Maguire, Manager of The Prince Albert, said: “I’m delighted to have won this category. The Prince Albert plays an important role in the local community, and I really enjoy looking after my regulars, but we welcome everyone with open arms – whether you live down the road or 100 miles away. This award shows that a combination of a friendly atmosphere, delicious food and great beers is worth celebrating. Thank you to my team for helping make this all possible.”
Best City/London Pub:
Winner: The Victoria, Paddington
Runner up: The Globe, Brentford
The Victoria in Paddington [above], run by Chris Cochran and Helen Wilson, was named the winner of the Best City/London Pub category in this year’s Griffin Trophy. The win also coincided with the managers reaching their 20th anniversary working for Fuller’s.
Chris said: “Helen and I are really pleased to have won this award. There are some really fantastic Fuller’s pubs in London, so to be named the best this year makes us very proud. We really want to thank our team for their contribution in gaining this brilliant award.”
Best Country/Village Pub:
Winner: Ye Olde Whyte Harte, Hamble
Runner up: The Greyfriar, Chawton
Ye Olde Whyte Harte in Hamble [above], run by Chia Barnard and Claire Goodrich, was awarded the title of Fuller’s Best Country/Village Pub for the year.
Chia said: “Claire and I are so happy with winning this award. We’d like to thank our team at the pub who work as hard as we do every day to ensure our customers always leave happy.”
Best Hotel/Inn:
Winner: The Swan Hotel, Staines
The Swan Hotel in Staines [above], run by Paul Tyrer, won the title of Fuller’s Best Hotel/Inn for 2019. Due to the smaller category size for hotels, there was no runner-up.
Paul Tyrer, Manager of The Swan Hotel, said: “I’m really proud to have won this award. The Swan is a great place to run – I like having a relaxing environment to offer to my customers, people always enjoy sitting by the river watching the swans swim serenely by. My team are all fantastic and are a real credit to the business – this award wouldn’t be possible without them, so I want to thank them for all for their hard work.”
Have you been to any of our best pubs yet?
Be sure to visit our pubs and hotels of the year for 2019 to experience first class hospitality, incredible food and drink, and unbeatable atmospheres for yourself.
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