Pub of the Year 2015 Shortlist Revealed
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