The good and the great of the Scottish licensed trade celebrated in style last night, as the Scottish Bar & Pub Awards revealed the country’s finest bars and pubs at a glitzy ceremony in Glasgow (Tuesday, 1st September).
More than 600 guests packed out the Doubletree by Hilton to mark the occasion, enjoying entertainment with a Glam Rock theme to celebrate the awards’ 31st year - Scotland’s longest established trade awards, now owned by Hero Media & Entertainment.
Crowning the nation’s most loved pubs, the prestigious event saw venues and individuals from up and down the country pick up the coveted bespoke trophies, with more than 100 venues, teams and individuals shortlisted as finalists.
The evening’s top industry honour, the Lifetime Achievement Award, went to Don Lawson of Johnny Foxes in Inverness, recognising his outstanding contribution to Scotland’s hospitality industry. Johnny Foxes also struck gold when they picked up the Hero Media & EntertainmentBest Bar Team Award.
Glasgow venues enjoyed a strong showing with The Lismore in Partick taking home the highly sought-after Sunday Mail Pub of the Year award, The Tap Yard winning the Sims Automatics Sports Bar of the Year award, Margo picking up the Lightspeed Restaurant of the Year title and Slouch being named SBPA Best Late Night Venue.
There were also celebrations for The Pot Still, where Assistant Manager Sally Law was awarded the Deanston Whisky Guru Rising Star Award, and at Bucks Bar, when The Scottish Hospitality Group Contribution to the Industry Award was presented to owner Michael Bergson, recognising his dedication and commitment to Scotland’s hospitality industry.
Outside Glasgow, in Alexandria, The Pawn Lounge was crowned DRAM Community Pub of the Year, recognised for its genuine commitment to its local community and the people who make it such a special place.
It was also a successful night for Ruby’s in East Kilbride, with the venue named SBPA New Bar of the Year, while owner Struan Barclay was also recognised with the Black Ivy and Montpeliers Rising Star Entrepreneur award.
The celebrations continued in Edinburgh as Black Ivy was named Annandale Distillery Dog Friendly Pub of the Year, while Bittersweet Leith claimed the Hendrick’s Gin and Monkey Shoulder Cocktail Bar of the Year title.
The capital enjoyed further success as the Boston Bar New Town also took home the Jameson Best Irish Bar award and Michael Maclean of The Dome was named Schweppes Mixologist of the Year.
Elsewhere, MacGregor’s at The Whisky Vaults in Oban was crowned Benromach Whisky Bar of the Year, while Chris Anton from the venue was Highly Commended in the Deanston Whisky Guru Rising Star Award. Also enjoying success in the Highlands and Islands was Rocks Leisure Group, which operates the Ben Nevis Bar in Fort William, The Lochside in Bowmore and Macgochans in Tobermory, as well as The Horn in Glasgow. They took home the Scottishnews.com Independent Multiple Operator of the Year award.
Broughty Ferry also enjoyed the night, with John Black, owner of The Fort Hotel & The Royal Arch, taking home the Inverarity Morton Family Business of the Year award.
In Uddingston, Lisini Pub Company Director Siobhan Edwards received the Hotel Scotland Inspirational Woman of the Year award, and the company was recognised with the Hospitality Health Employer of the Year accolade. One of the Lisini venues, Angels Hotel, also saw success as Danny Stewart was named HOSPO Manager of the Year.
Millport claimed a win for Tracey Hunter of The Tavern Bar, who was named Bar Personality of the Year, whilst in Ayr, Tempura was recognised as The Drum Social Media Champion, celebrating the venue’s approach to engaging with its customers and building its profile online.
The night also saw The Birds and Bees in Stirling take home the Kopparberg Best Outdoor Area award, while SOBR in Aberdeen was named Jump Ship Brewing Best Lo and No Destination.
The Hero Brands Hospitality Hero Award went to Kostas Simos of Atlantic Bar & Brasserie in Glasgow, recognising the individual contribution he has made to Scotland’s hospitality industry.
Publisher, Susan Young, said, “It was fantastic to see so many deserving winners this year. These awards are a celebration of the people who make the Scottish hospitality industry the success it is, and this year’s entries were truly outstanding.
“The standard was so high it made the judging incredibly difficult. Every one of our finalists should be immensely proud of their achievement, and I’d like to congratulate all of our winners on their success.”
“The Glam Rock theme was the perfect fit for an industry where the venues, teams and people really do rock!”
The full list of winners is as follows:
Lifetime Achievement
Don Lawson, Emerald Inns (Inverness)
Annandale Distillery Dog Friendly Pub of the Year
Black Ivy – Edinburgh
Highly Commended - The George Hotel – Inveraray
Inverarity Morton Family Business of the Year
The Fort Hotel & The Royal Arch – Broughty Ferry
Benromach Whisky Bar of the Year
MacGregor’s at The Whisky Vaults – Oban
Hero Media & Entertainment Best Bar Team
Johnny Foxes – Inverness
Highly Commended – The Parkville - Blantyre
Deanston Whisky Guru Rising Star Award
Sally Law – The Pot Still, Glasgow
Highly Commended - Chris Anton – MacGregor’s at The Whisky Vaults, Oban
Bar Personality of the Year
Tracey Hunter – The Tavern Bar, Millport
Scottish Hospitality Group Contribution To The Industry Award
Michael Bergson – Bucks Bar
Hospitality Health Employer of the Year
Lisini Pub Company – Uddingston
DRAM Community Pub of the Year
The Pawn Lounge – Alexandria
Highly Commended - Commercial Inn, Fauldhouse
Hendrick’s Gin and Monkey Shoulder Cocktail Bar of the Year
Bittersweet Leith – Leith, Edinburgh
Highly Commended - Jimmy Badgers, Inverness
Black Ivy and Montpeliers Rising Star Entrepreneur
Struan Barclay, Ruby’s – East Kilbride
HOSPO Manager of the Year
Danny Stewart – Angels Hotel, Uddingston
Sims Automatics Sports Bar of the Year
The Tap Yard – Glasgow
Jamesons Best Irish Bar 2026
Boston Bar New Town – Edinburgh
Highly Commended – Radio, Glasgow
Jump Ship Brewing Best Lo and No Destination
SOBR – Aberdeen
Kopparberg Best Outdoor Area
The Birds and Bees – Stirling
Lightspeed Restaurant of the Year
Margo – Glasgow
Highly Commended - Barry Fish, Leith
SBPA New Bar of the Year
Ruby’s – East Kilbride
Schweppes Mixologist of the Year
Michael Maclean – The Dome, Edinburgh
Scottishnews.com Independent Multiple Operator of the Year
Rocks Leisure Group
SBPA Best Late Night Venue
Slouch – Glasgow
Hotel Scotland Inspirational Woman of the Year
Siobhan Edwards – Lisini Pub Company
Hero Brands Hospitality Hero Award
Kostas Simos – Atlantic Bar & Brasserie
The Drum Social Media Champion
Tempura – Ayr
Sunday Mail Pub of the Year
The Lismore – Partick, Glasgow