Pub of the Year 2015 Shortlist Revealed

Published 22nd Oct 2015

The search to find Northern Ireland’s best hospitality venues steps up a notch this week, as the shortlist for Hospitality Ulster’s prestigious Pub of the Year Awards 2015 is revealed.

This year’s Awards will be the mostly hotly contested to date. Following a record number of entries from pubs, hotels and restaurants, a total of 44 shortlisted premises and individuals from right across Northern Ireland will now go head to head to be named the toast of the trade at the top industry Awards next month.

Winners of a record fourteen Awards will be revealed at a special gala awards night hosted by Cool FM breakfast show host, Pete Snodden, at La Mon Hotel and Country Club on Wednesday 11th November 2015.

Commenting on the announcement of the shortlist, Olga Walls, Chair of Hospitality Ulster said: “Hospitality Ulster’s new look Pub of the Year Awards provide a valuable opportunity to recognise the significant contribution Northern Ireland’s hospitality venues make, not only within their own communities, but to the hospitality sector as a whole.

“We are lucky to have world class hospitality venues on our doorstep and these Awards will recognise and reward those businesses that are setting industry standards with their customer offering, service and innovations.

“The competition for this year’s Awards is very high, which is a real indication of the standards being set across the sector. I would like to congratulate all of the shortlisted individuals, pubs, restaurants and hotels and wish them the very best of luck at next month’s Pub of the Year Awards.” In recognition of the widening scope of the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland, a record fourteen Awards are up for grabs, each designed to highlight the very best that the sector has to offer.

With the introduction of three Pub of the Year Awards, recognising the best pubs and bars in rural, urban and city locations, this year’s Awards are set to be the most inclusive ever.

Also new for 2015, three Commitment to Local Food Awards (in partnership with FoodNI/Taste of Ulster) will recognise the growing importance of locally sourced food within Northern Ireland’s best pubs, hotels and restaurants.

With community involvement continuing to be an important focus for the local hospitality industry, 2015 also welcomes the introduction of three Commitment to the Community Awards for pubs, hotels and restaurants.

This year’s Best Hotel Bar category features two accolades with Awards for the Best 1, 2 & 3 star Hotel Bar and Best 4 & 5 star Hotel Bar.

One Award category also invited nominations from the general public, with people nominating their favourite barperson by writing to The Sunday Life, which is joining forces with Hospitality Ulster once again to find out who the public feel should clinch the coveted title of Best Barperson.

The Awards will also recognise the industry’s rising stars and those that have played a vital role in shaping the sector with two new Awards: Hospitality Ulster’s Rising Star (in partnership with Ulster University) and the Industry Legend Award (in partnership with Hospitality Review), the winners of which will be announced at the Gala Awards night next month.

All submitted Award entries, along with public nominations from the Best Barperson and the Industry Legend Awards are vetted and judged by an independent judging panel comprised of industry experts, before being mystery shopped to ensure they meet industry standards and best practice guidelines.

The full shortlist for Hospitality Ulster’s Pub of the Year Awards 2015 is as follows:

Best Hotel Bar 1, 2 & 3 Star

Adair Arms Hotel, Ballymena, County Antrim

The Port Hotel, Portrush, County Antrim

The Salty Dog Hotel & Bistro, Bangor, County Down

Walsh's Hotel, Maghera, County Derry~Londonderry

Whistledown Hotel, Warrenpoint, County Down

Best Hotel Bar 4 & 5 Star

The Bushmills Inn, Bushmills, County Antrim

Europa Hotel, Belfast, County Antrim

Hastings Everglades Hotel, Derry~Londonderry, County Derry~Londonderry

La Mon Hotel & Country Club, Castlereagh, Belfast, County Antrim

Manor House Country Hotel, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

Commitment to the Community Hotel

Fir Trees Hotel, Strabane, County Tyrone

La Mon Hotel & Country Club, Castlereagh, Belfast, County Antrim

The Port Hotel, Portrush, County Antrim

The Salty Dog Hotel & Bistro, Bangor, County Down

Walsh’s Hotel, Maghera, County Derry~Londonderry

Commitment to the Community Pub

The Devenish Complex, Finaghy, County Antrim

The Elk, Toomebridge, County Antrim

Front Page Bar, Ballymena, County Antrim

The Ivy Bar, Newtownards, County Down

The Wild Duck Inn, Portglenone, County Antrim

Commitment to the Community Restaurant

The Four Trees, Moira, County Down

Pretty Mary's, Moira, County Down

26 West Bar & Grill, Belfast, County Antrim

Pub of the Year City

The Albany, Belfast, County Antrim

Bootleggers, Belfast, County Antrim

The Garrick, Belfast, County Antrim

The Perch Rooftop Bar, Belfast, County Antrim

Sunflower Public House, Belfast, County Antrim

Pub of the Year Rural

Friels Bar & Bistro, Maghera, County Derry~Londonderry

Halfway House, Banbridge, County Down

The Maghera Inn, Castlewellan, County Down

The Ponderosa, Derry~Londonderry, County Derry~Londonderry

The Wild Duck Inn, Portglenone, County Antrim

Pub of the Year Urban

Devenish Bar Ltd, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

Devlin’s Bar, Armagh, County Armagh

The Dirty Duck Alehouse, Holywood, County Down

Mary’s Bar, Magherafelt, County Derry~Londonderry

Pier 36, Donaghadee, County Down

Commitment to Local Food Pub

The Dirty Duck Alehouse, Holywood, County Down

The Garrick, Belfast, County Antrim

The Maghera Inn, Castlewellan, County Down

Pier 36, Donaghadee, County Down

Pretty Mary's, Moira, County Down

Commitment to Local Food Restaurant

The Barking Dog Restaurant, Belfast, County Antrim

The Elk, Toomebridge, County Antrim

Molly’s Yard, Belfast, County Antrim

Tedfords, Belfast, County Antrim

The Yellow Heifer, Camlough, County Armagh

Commitment to Local Food Hotel

The Bushmills Inn, Bushmills, County Antrim

La Mon Hotel and Country Club, Castlereagh, County Antrim

Newforge House, Magheralin, County Armagh

The Salty Dog Hotel and Bistro, Bangor, County Down

Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, Newcastle, County Down

Best Bar Person (in association with Sunday Life)

Danny Leitch, Ruby's, Larne

Laura Keegan, Keegans Bar, Armagh

Nathaniel McAuley, Muriel's Cafe Bar, Belfast

Neil McDonald, The Poet, Dundonald

Willie Gregg, The Harbour Bar, Portrush

Hospitality Ulster’s Rising Star (in partnership with Ulster University)

To be announced on the night

Industry Legend (in partnership with Hospitality Review)

To be announced on the night