Awarding gastropub excellence
They are back. The awards which recognise the best gastropubs in the business, The Budweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastropubs 2012.
Whether you love or hate the term gastropub, it is still widely recognised by consumers as a term to distinguish pubs which have a quality, locally sourced food offer.
At the Publican¹s Morning Advertiser we want to continue to celebrate the achievements of Britain¹s fantastic gastropubs, who lead the way with their business innovation and menu ideas, premium drink offers and are the cream of the pub industry.
The awards, now in their fourth year, have established themselves as the leading event for the premium end of the UK food-led pub trade.
The Budweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastropub Awards really are the industry's choice and based on the results of a poll of top experts. The Publican's Morning Advertiser editor rob Willock says: "These awards really are the industry's choice and it is fantastic for the gastropubs voted into the top 50 to get recognition from such a presitigious panel of voters."
This year, we have polled hundreds of industry experts to get their votes for the best gastropubs in the business. In 2010 over 2,000 votes were cast by around 750 people. Voters include gastropub operators themselves (who can¹t vote for their own pubs), food writers, pubco catering development managers and executive chefs, celebrity and top hospitality industry chefs and pubco chiefs.
Last year's voters included Raymond Blanc, Paul Heathcote, Andrew Turvill, editor of the AA Restaurant Guide, Prue Leith, Shane Osbourn, Shaun Hill, Alan Murchinson and Nigel Haworth.
Voting is now underway and will continue until the end of September. Each voter is asked for their choice of the top four gastropubs they have visited in the past year.
To ensure each region of the UK has an equal opportunity for their pubs to shine, our voting panel is broken down into eight geographical voting regions, with an equal number of votes collected in each by the Top 50 Gastropubs Voting Academy.
The awards are being run in association with Budweiser Budvar as headline partner. Tony Jennings, CEO of Budweiser Budvar UK says: "Great beers deserve great food and that¹s why Budvar are delighted to sponsor this spectacular hunt to find the UK's best gastropubs."
Winning view
Andrew Pern, owner of the Star Inn, at Harome, North Yorkshire, which was voted the UK's top gastropub in 2010, says: "Winning the top accolade of the best gastropub in the UK, especially having worked hard to reach and remain at the top of the pile, or thereabouts, for the last 15 years is hugely satisfying. And to be thought of in such esteem by our equally hardworking peers is really quite humbling."
Click here to view the winners from last year
