The awards, organised by leading trade title The Morning Advertiser, celebrate the best in the business and culminate in an outstanding night at Battersea Evolution, London, bringing together the leading pub and bar operators from across the UK.

It was another great night in London at our Industry ‘Oscars’ the Publican Awards 2026. The awards, with 1500 guests in attendance, saw our boutique pub company Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars up for Best Drinks Act in the UK, an award we have won back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. So, the pressure was on to see whether we could do the hat-trick and win this prestigious award for a record breaking third time in a row. Having gone through a gruelling judging process it was a nervous affair waiting for the winner to be announced by no other than Rylan, who was compare for the evening.

As the drums rolled Cheshire Cat was announced as the winner again. Mary and Tim accepted the award on behalf of the team who clearly play the most important part in winning such a high-profile award. Back in 2016 we won our first Publican Award for….yes…Best Drinks Act…so on the 10^th Anniversary of this win, we did it again to prove how well we have evolved but also how consistent we have been in our approach to all things drink. Thank you to all the team for their great efforts and to our loyal customers and guests for supporting our pubs with such loyalty. On the night we were also a Finalist  in the ‘Best Accommodation Act in the UK’ 2026/27 but just missed out.

The Morning Advertiser editor Ed Bedington said: “Big congratulations to all our finalists and winners tonight, particularly Cheshire Cat for pulling off an impressive treble on Best Drinks.

“These awards celebrate the best in the business and recognise operators that are performing at the very top of their game. The pub and bar sector, and the wider hospitality industry, is facing some unprecedented challenges, particularly in vastly increased taxation, but it is good to step back and recognise some of the amazing work that is going on.

“These awards show that despite the challenges everyone is facing, standards are not being allowed to slip and the sector remains committed to operating at the highest possible levels.”

On Tuesday 24^th June, in London, our Fitzherbert Arms pub was crowned Best Pub in Staffordshire for 2025 at the Pub and Bar Magazine awards. Up against excellent opposition the Fitz triumphed for the fourth year running. We are all very proud of this achievement

Manager Rebecca and Head Chef Connor were away on holiday, so our most senior chefs Nathan and Andy travelled to London together and joined up with our sister pubs from Cheshire the Cholmondeley Arms and the Bulls Head who were also up for awards. The great photo shows Nathan and Andy showing off their award before taking the trip back to Swynnerton!

Manager Rebecca said….”what a true honour this is for the Fitzherbert Arms team and for Nathan and Andy to accept the award on the pub team’s behalf was so appropriate too! No one would deny the Fitz the title of the Best Pub in Staffordshire when so much hard work has gone in to our lovely village pub, cooking great food, serving cracking local ales, a fine collection of ports, log fires in the winter, lovely terraces in the summer, but most importantly a great team of people serving our loyalist customers, who have supported the Fitzherbert Arms over the years since it was rescued from closure….and of course our we have to remember our local suppliers too. A winning combination! Well done to everyone!”

On Tuesday 24^th June, in London, our Bulls Head pub was crowned best Pub in Cheshire for 2025 and then went on to gain Best Pub in Northwest at the Pub and Bar Magazine’s National Awards 2025. This comes on the eve of our 15^th Anniversary celebrations this coming weekend.

What great timing and yes, it is 15 years ago that owners Tim and Mary took on the Bulls Head on the verge of closure and turned around the fortunes of our great pub! Manager Steph, Head Chef Andy and Deputy Nathan travelled to London together and joined up with our Cholmondeley Arms manager Helen and Head Chef Richard who we also up for best in Cheshire.

Owner Tim said….”what a true honour this is for Steph, Andy, Nathan and Team Bully! No one would deny them the title of the Best Pub in the Northwest because it is! This is the perfect quintessential English village pub cooking great food, serving cracking local ales, a fine collection of whiskies, log fires in the winter, lovely garden in the summer, but most importantly a great team of people serving the loyalist customers, who have supported the Bulls Head over the years and of course our local suppliers too. A winning combination! Well done to everyone!”

At the National Pub and Bar Magazine Awards held in London on Tuesday 24^th June, the leaders of the Hospitality industry came together to vote for their top pubs in the UK, and we are delighted to announce that our Church Inn pub came in at number 7!

This is really great recognition for Stewart and the Church Inn Team. We are all delighted for everyone concerned. Well done!

The Church Inn is rubbing shoulders with some top pubs with the winner at number 1 being the well-known Devonshire Arms in London.

Our boutique pub company Cheshire Cat Pubs and Inns celebrated triple success at the hospitality industry’s ‘Oscars’.

Cheshire Cat Pubs and Inns took home three titles on the night down in London, scooping the prize for Best Operations Team, Best Drinks Act and Best Food Act at The Publican Awards 2025.

The awards, organised by leading trade title The Morning Advertiser, celebrate the best in the business and culminate in an outstanding night at Evolution London, bringing together the leading pub and bar operators from across the UK.

Cheshire Cat Pubs and Inns has its base in the village of Mobberley, Cheshire and operates seven village and country pubs, five in Cheshire and two in North Staffordshire. They are celebrating their 15^th year this year at their first pub in the Northwest, the Bulls Head in Mobberley. Owners Tim Bird and Mary McLaughlin were over the moon with such a great achievement!

“We took our managers and head chefs with us to London and what a night it turned out to be. To win one Publican Award is difficult enough but to win three is frankly amazing….. we are so proud! Our entire team across our seven pubs are the real winners, we are so delighted for all of them.” 

The Morning Advertiser editor Ed Bedington said: “Big congratulations to all our finalists and winners tonight, particularly Cheshire Cat for pulling off the impressive feat of winning all three of its categories.

“These awards celebrate the best in the business and recognise operators that are performing at the very top of their game. The pub and bar sector, and the wider hospitality industry, is facing some unprecedented challenges, particularly in vastly increased taxation, but it is good to step back and recognise some of the amazing work that is going on.

“These awards show that despite the challenges everyone is facing, standards are not being allowed to slip and the sector remains committed to operating at the highest possible levels.”

Left to Right Asst. Managers Tim and Zee, Head Chef Connor, Manager Rebecca and Rooms Manager Kelly.

We are delighted to announce that our Fitzherbert Arms in the village of Swynnerton has won the top Gold Award and become Pub of the Year 2025 at the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards.

General Manager Rebecca, Head Chef Connor, Asst Managers Tim and Zee and Rooms Manager Kelly were all at the Hilton Hotel reception when their win was announced. Sponsored by the University of Staffordshire, the awards celebrate local businesses across the county. The Fitzherbert Arms is an award-winning pub in its own right, winning the ‘Best Taste Award’ at the Pub and Bar Magazine Awards last year. The Fitz’ were up against very strong opposition but came out smiling. The entry and judging process was vigorous to say the least and to come out on top is truly amazing! Rebecca added “we are truly over the moon, there were some great pubs in the line up, so to win Gold is a superb reflection on all the team’s efforts to make the Fitz’ such a special pub.

Only a year ago the Fitzherbert Arms opened its 10 Guest Bedrooms in the old Fitzherbert Farmhouse. A grade 2 listed building, it is a wonderful place to stay when enjoying the great attractions of Staffordshire. Owners

Mary McLaughlin and Tim Bird, who also have the Mainwaring Arms in Whitmore, as well as five award-winning pubs in Cheshire added, “we are so delighted for Rebecca and the team! The Fitz is a very special pub but what makes it truly special are the team and of course our customers and guests. They along with our local suppliers can all be proud of this award. We share it with everybody.

Rebecca and Connor pose by the Tyrells, (the award sponsors) stand after their win.

A great night at the Pub and Bar Magazine Awards in London! The Fitzherbert Arms had already won ‘Best Pub in Staffordshire’ in the Awards a month or so ago for the third year running. The Fitz Manager Rebecca and Head Chef Connor headed to London to see if the Fitzherbert Arms Team could go one further and win the West Midlands region.

To their complete surprise they went one better and won the honour of the National ‘Best Taste’ Award sponsored by Tyrells Crisps, which recognised most notably the great food performance under the stewardship of Head Chef Connor and his kitchen team and of course the effort of the entire team who make the Fitz the great pub it is today.

Owners Tim and Mary were at the awards along with Helen and Leigh from our Cholmondeley Arms who won ‘Best in the Northwest’ on the night too, making it a double for Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars! Please check out the photos and you’ll notice the enormous bag of Tyrells crisps which has a photo of the Fitzherbert Arms across the front!

It was fun carrying that around London after the awards! All in all, it was a great night in London, and we are all very proud of Rebecca, Connor and the entire Fitz team.

Rebecca cannot believe it when the Fitz is announced for the Best Taste Award 2024.

On stage from left to right Tristan Pub and Bar Magazine Editor, Tim Co-owner Cheshire Cat, Rebecca Fitz manager, Head Chef Connor and the Tyrells sponsor.