Left to right: Woodthorpe pub manager, Dominic Henshaw; Platform 5 staff member, Oriana Fox; Joseph Holt operations director, Tom Dempsey; Platform 5 pub manager, Liz Hardman; Platform 5 staff member, Vanessa Jardim; IB Construction director, Tim Lewis; Joseph Holt area manager, Helen Pugh; and Jospeh Holt marketing manager, Jane Kershaw, all celebrating the award of pub of the year to Platform 5
Joseph Holt held its fourth annual pub awards event at Haydock Race Course, welcoming more than 230 guests from the brewery and award sponsors, as well as pub finalists to the ceremony.
The event recognised the great achievements made by the pubs and their staff in the past year, as well as
significant contributions year on year. The awards are judged throughout the year by the cellar services team and external independent judges, who also sponsored the categories, ensuring pubs meet the strict criteria to go through to the semi-finals in their nominated category.
There were 15 awards this year, with two special pub of the year and a best newcomer award introduced for 2018. The latter is for any manager or retail partner who has been in their pub less than a year and who is already exceeding budget and expectations.
Guests and semi-finalists were greeted with a prosecco reception, then treated to a three-course meal after the award announcements, followed by a day at Haydock Park racecourse with the chance to visit the paddock.
Joseph Holt was also pleased to have comedian and compere Jamie Sutherland re-host the event following his big success with the guests last year.
Much of the success of the event is credited to the generous category sponsors: Unified World, Walkers, Coca Cola, Heineken, Hammonds of Knutsford, Regal, Centre Glass and Hygiene, Diageo, Sky, Underwood, Bidfood and IB Construction.
Joseph Holt also thanked table sponsors Design 306, Branching Out Two, ACME, TLC Building Contractors,
Medlock, AEL Solutions, Mansfield Soft Furnishings, Arhus Fire Protection and Muntons.
Prizes for each category were £1,000, £300 and £200 for first, second and third respectively, with exceptions for team member of the year, newcomer of the year and pub of the year, for which there was only one prize. The winners of team member of the year and the long service awards each took home £500.
The winners
Serve with style, sponsored by Unified World
1. Friendship, Gary and Gaynor Hindley
2. Morning Star, Maureen Patterson
3. Black Dog, Jim and Debbie Bollard
Serve with style, sponsored by Walkers
1. The Mill, Kerry Lewis
2. The Hayfield, Louise Dodd
3. Cock o’ Budworth, Michelle Dickinson
Team member, sponsored by Coca Cola
Winner: Dominic Henshaw, Platform 5
Nominated: Sabrina Delphan, The Cock at Budworth; Leanne German, Horse and Jockey (now at The Roebuck)
Team member of the year, sponsored by Heineken
Winner: Deborah Crump, The Griffin, Heaton Mersey
Nominated: Maureen Black, The Cricketers Arms; Phylis Brown, The Lord Nelson, Pendlebury
Best bar team, sponsored by Hammonds of Knutsford
1. The Roebuck, Dan Baxter and team
2. Platform 5, Liz Hardman and team
3. The Imperial, Gavin Mathams and team
Best bar team, sponsored by Heineken
1. The Park-Monton, Mark and Lesley Williams
2. Duke of Wellington, Andrea Clancy
3. Crown-Horwich, Gary and Beverly Parker
Newcomer of the year, sponsored by Regal
Winner: White Lion, Aila Miller and Ian Mulqueeney
Nominated: The Quadrant, Kellie Dixon; The Winston, Darryl jennings
Newcomer, sponsored by Centre Glass and Hygiene
Winner: Nikki Rickard, Griffin Heald Green
Nominated: Emma Kendal-Crispin, The Angel; Dan Baxter, The Roebuck
Best kept cellar, sponsored by Joseph Holt
1. Platform 5, Liz Hardman
2. The Clock Tower: Heather and Paul Stonely
3. The Mill, Kerry Lewis
Best kept cellar, sponsored by Joseph Holt
1. Duke of Wellington, Andrea Clancy
2. Hare and Hounds, Sal Dahouchi
3. Atherton Arms, Steve and Janet Morris
Best food pub, sponsored by Underwood
1. Morning Star, Maureen Patterson
2. Norfolk Arms, Carol Midgeley
3. Legh Arms, Paul and Christine Naylor
Best food pub, sponsored by Bidfood
1. Marsh Mill Tavern, Kat McCarron
2. The Richmond, Andrew Crosbie
3. Bowling Green, Claire Dix
Best wet pub, sponsored by Coke
1. Platform 5, Liz Hardman
2. The Angel, Emma Kendal-Crispin
3. The Griffin-Heald Green, Nikki Rickard
Best wet pub, sponsored by Diageo
1. Duke of Wellington, Andrea Clancy
2. Church Inn, Tracey Burns
3. Old Bulls Head, Tina and Andrew Edge
Long service award, sponsored by Joseph Holt
Phylis Brown, The Lord Nelson, Pendlebury (Phylis has worked for Joseph Holt since November 1988)
Pub of the year, sponsored by IB Construction
Platform 5, Liz Hardman
Pub of the year, sponsored by Sky
Duke of Wellington, Andrea Clancy
