TOP PUBS CROWNED AT PUB OF THE YEAR AWARDS

The search to find Northern Ireland’s top pubs came to a dramatic conclusion this week, as the finest pubs from across Northern Ireland gathered at Belfast City Hall to toast the trade at Pubs of Ulster’s Pub of the Year Awards 2012.

The Pub of the Year Awards celebrate the excellence that exists in our local pub trade by presenting top awards to the winning pubs in a range of categories, including the coveted Northern Ireland Pub of the Year Award which was presented by Mark Stewart, chair of Pubs of Ulster, to Pier 36 in Donaghadee.

As well as taking the top Pub of the Year title, Pier 36 was also named Best Tourism/ Visitor Pub 2012.  Celebrating the award win, Lewis Waterworth from Pier 36, said:

“We are honored and delighted to bring the prestigious Pub of the Year 2012 and Best Tourism/ Visitor Pub titles to Donaghadee.

“We have invested a lot in the bar over the last number of years, especially in staff training and our overall customer service, as our biggest priority is always ensuring that our customers have the best experience when they visit us. I would like to thank all of our great staff, as if it wasn’t for their hard work and dedication, Pier 36 wouldn’t be the bar that it is today.  To receive recognition at the Pub of the Year Awards is a great incentive for us, especially in these tough economic times, to continue to develop Pier 36. Whilst encouraging us, I also hope the awards help ignite the industry and inspire all pubs to dig in and show the world how great the local trade is.”

The Pub of the Year Awards is the culmination of an extensive search for the best pubs in a range of categories across Northern Ireland.  Finalists were selected following an extensive judging process and were judged, depending on their category, by written submissions, interviews or by independent mystery shoppers.  An independent judging panel comprising of Martin Breen, editor of the Sunday Life; Gary McDonald, business editor of the Irish News; Adrienne McGill, business editor of the News Letter; Paul Connolly, managing editor of the Belfast Telegraph and Louise Murphy, editor of Hospitality Review then decided on the overall winners.

The Pub of the Year winners in each category are:

•Northern Ireland Pub of the Year:   Pier 36, Donaghadee

•Best Neighbourhood Pub:  The Front Page Bar, Ballymena

•Best Food Pub: Bureau by the Lough, Whiteabbey

•Best Family Friendly Pub: Curran’s Bar & Seafood Restaurant, Downpatrick

•Best New or Improved Pub:  Devlin’s Bar, Armagh

•Most Innovative Pub:  McHugh’s, Belfast

•Best Tourism/ Visitor Pub: Pier 36, Donaghadee

•Bar Hero:Willie Gregg, The Harbour Bar, Portrush

•Sunday Life Readers’ Choice Award:Head O’ The Road, Tartaraghan

This year’s ceremony also saw the Pub of the Year Awards first posthumous honour, as the late Joey Dunlop was celebrated for his contribution to the local licensed trade with Pubs of Ulster’s Chairman’s Award.  The special award, presented by BBC sports correspondent Stephen Watson to members of Joey’s family, recognises the role Joey played in establishing one of Northern Ireland’s most famous pubs, Joey’s Bar.  The award also honours Joey’s tireless charitable efforts, which often saw him make regular trips to Romania to deliver aid to orphans.  In 1996 his humanitarian work in Romania was officially recognised when he was awarded an OBE; an honour he stated was his proudest award.  Whilst its famous landlord is no longer pulling pints, Joey’s Bar in Ballymoney is still devotedly run by the Dunlop family and continues to play a vital role in the local community as well as serving as a Mecca for visiting motorcycle pilgrims.

Commenting on the awards, Mark Stewart, chairman of Pubs of Ulster, said:

“This year’s Pub of the Year Awards have once again highlighted the quality that exists in the local pub trade right across Northern Ireland.  We have world class pubs right on our doorstep and the awards allow us to recognise this by rewarding the excellence that exists in the industry.

I would like to thank all the pubs who entered this year’s awards and congratulate all the winners, especially Pier 36, for showcasing the very best that the local pub trade has to offer.”

During the awards chair, Mark Stewart also called upon all of our elected representatives to show their support for the licensed trade.  Whilst Northern Ireland has a modern industry, facing modern challenges, it does so under the restraints of outdated legislation.  Pubs of Ulster is therefore continuing its call for modernisation of current licensing laws, ensuring pubs remain a major economic asset to Northern Ireland and the livelihoods of thousands of people employed throughout the industry are safeguarded.

As the only competition to focus solely on the pub trade, this year’s awards were sponsored by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Britvic, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Dillon Bass, Heineken Northern Ireland, Molson Coors, Richmond Marketing, Tennent’s NI and Drinks Inc.  The awards are also supported by the Sunday Life, Hospitality review and U105.

The Pub of the Year Awards were hosted by top local comedians Grimes and McKee and guests celebrated their success in style at the exclusive Pub of the Year Awards after party at the Merchant Hotel.

For full details of the winners of the Pub of the Year Awards 2012 please visit www.nipuboftheyear.com

2012 Pub of The Year and Taste of Ulster Members, Pier 36

Best Food Pub of the Year and Taste of Ulster Member, Damien and Dana from Bureau by The Lough

Best Tourism / Visitor Pub and Taste of Ulster Member, Pier 36