Company awards and recognition

Company awards

Note: There are separate lists for property/design/heritage awards, food awards and drinks awards.

Awards 2024

Financial Times Diversity Leaders 2024 ‘Europe’s Diversity Leaders 2024’ (restaurants rank 16; overall rank 806)
Top Employer United Kingdom 2024
Licensed Trade Charity – National Staff Well-being Award 2024 (for companies with more than 250 sites)
The Sustainable Restaurant Association ‘Food Made Good’ standard (three-star standard 2024–2026)
Financial Times Climate Leaders 2024 ‘Europe’s Climate Leaders 2024’
National Pubwatch Star Awards
- The Rawson Spring (Hillsborough, Sheffield)
- The Wagon & Horses (Chapeltown, Sheffield)
- The Woodseats Palace (Woodseats,Sheffield)
National Pubwatch Award of Merit – The Queens Hotel (Maltby)
FTSE4Good, company membership
Peach 20/20 Hero and Icon Awards 2024 ‘Power brand’ (winner)
British Travel Awards 2024 ‘Best airport retailer for food and beverages’ (winner)

Awards 2023

Top Employer United Kingdom 2023
Harrogate in Bloom 2023 – The Winter Gardens (Harrogate)
- Gold
- Best overall display
Lovely Louth Licensed Premises 2023 – The Joseph Morton (Louth) (third place)
Great Yarmouth Civic Society – The Troll Cart (Great Yarmouth)
- Overall best business
- Best food and drink outlet
Southend Echo newspaper ‘best local pub’ The Elms (Leigh-on-Sea)
Flowers in the City campaign ‘Edmund and Annie Hart Trophy’ The Liberty Bounds (City of London)
Britain in Bloom ‘hospitality category’ The Royal Hop Pole hotel (Tewkesbury) (gold)
Loo of the Year Awards 2023
- Overall corporate provider
- Champions league award
- 11 diamond awards
- 120 platinum plus awards
- 554 platinum awards
- 122 gold awards
- National category awards:
  - Accessible toilets: The Rawson Spring (Sheffield); Yr Hen Dderwen (Carmarthen)
  - Hotels: The Queen’s Head Hotel (Tavistock); Jolly’s Hotel (Broughty Ferry); The George Hotel (Brecon)
  - Pubs and wine bars: The Rose Saltern (Bideford); The Standing Order (Edinburgh); Yr Hen Dderwen (Carmarthen)
British Travel Awards 2023 ‘best airport retailer for food & beverages’ J D Wetherspoon
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2022

Licensed Trade Charity – National Staff Well-being Award 2022 (for companies with more than 250 sites)
Loo of the Year Awards 2022
- Overall corporate provider
- Leading provider (pubs and restaurants category)
- Best provider of toilets in pubs and restaurants in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- 14 diamond awards
- 138 platinum plus awards
- 582 platinum awards
- 98 gold awards
Ilford Business Awards 2022 ‘best hospitality business’ The Great Spoon of Ilford (Ilford) (winner)
Travel & Leisure (HTL) Index 2022 ‘role models for inclusion in hospitality’ Debbie Whittingham
(regional manager and employee director)
Ruthin Town Council ‘best floral display – licensed premises’ The Castle Hotel (Ruthin) (first place)
Hull Business Improvement District (BID) Awards The Admiral of the Humber (Kingston Upon Hull) (shortlisted)
Royal Horticultural Society ‘southwest bloom awards’ The Bear (Melksham) (recognised)
Financial Times Climate Leaders 2022 ‘Europe’s Climate Leaders 2022’

Awards 2021

Financial Times Climate Leaders 2021 ‘Europe’s Climate Leaders 2021’
National Pub and Bar Awards 2021 ‘pub brand of the year’ (winner)
National Pub and Bar Awards 2021 ‘pub brand of the year’ (top-100 most-loved eating-out brands)
Licensed Trade Charity 2021 ‘raising awareness internally award’ (finalist)
Loo of the Year Awards 2021
Overall corporate provider
25 diamond awards (the highest-possible rating)
746 platinum awards
46 gold awards
National category awards:
- Hotels: Keavan’s Port Hotel (Dublin); Sandford House (Huntingdon); The George Hotel (Brecon);
  The Saltoun Inn (Fraserburgh)
- Historic buildings: The King Doniert (Liskeard); The Palladium (Llandudno); The Silver Penny (Dublin)
- Pubs and wine bars: The Aneurin Bevan (Cardiff); The Corryvreckan (Oban);
  The Rose Salterne (Bideford); The Silver Penny (Dublin)

Awards 2020

Top Employer United Kingdom 2020 (17 consecutive years)
Loo of the Year Awards 2020 ‘overall corporate provider’

Awards 2019

Speak Out Group ‘bright sparks Kitemark award’ The Ferry Boat (Runcorn)
Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards ‘team of the year 2019’ The Winter Gardens (Harrogate) (shortlisted)
Top Employer United Kingdom 2019
NEC Group Brilliance Scheme ‘catering partners league’ Birmingham NEC (gold)
FTSE4Good, company membership
Loo of the Year Awards 2019
Overall corporate provide
Overall UK winner
Champions league standards of excellence
UK and Ireland ‘space to change toilets’ The Booking Office (Edinburgh) (winner)
Scotland ‘accessible toilets’ (winner)
Scotland ‘space to change toilets’ The Booking Office (Edinburgh) (winner)

Awards 2018

Top Employer United Kingdom 2018
CGA Hero and Icon Awards 2018 ‘power brand’ (winner)
Loo of the Year Awards 2018
Overall corporate provider
Overall UK winner
‘Space to change’ award
757 platinum awards
80 gold awards
National category awards:
- Hotels: The Queen’s Head Hotel (Tavistock); The Saltoun Inn (Fraserburgh)
- Historic buildings: The Ledger Building (Docklands); The Palladium (Llandudno)
- Pubs and wine bars: The White House (Leicester); The Paddle Steamer (Largs);
  The Aneurin Bevan (Cardiff)
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2017

Top Employer United Kingdom 2017
Disability Confident Employer
FAB Award ‘individual food and beverage offer in a train station’
The Booking Office (Edinburgh) (highly commended)
Loo of the Year Awards 2017
722 platinum awards
120 gold awards
UK ‘accessible toilets’ (winner)
Trophy ‘in-house cleaning team’
Champions league standards of excellence
Wales ‘in-house cleaning team’ (winner)
Wales ‘accessible toilets’ The Pontlottyn (Abertillery) (winner)
Wales (individual category winner)
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2016

Top Employer United Kingdom 2016
CGA Hero and Icon Awards 2016 ‘power brand’ (winner)
FAB Award ‘best worldwide airport bar 2016’ The Windmill (Stansted Airport) (winner)
FAB Award ‘best worldwide airport bar 2016’ Wetherspoon (Birmingham Airport) (highly commended)
FAB Award ‘individual food and beverage offer in a train station’ The North Western (Liverpool Lime Street station) (highly commended)
Loo of the Year Awards 2016
Champions league standards of excellence (national winner)
Individual category – Ireland
Accessible toilets – Scotland
Changing Places toilet – The Velvet Coaster (Blackpool)
- National category awards:
- Historic buildings: The Chief Justice of the Common Pleas (Keswick)
Pubs: The Stannary Court (Plympton); The John Fairweather (Cambuslang); The Godfrey Morgan (Cardiff); The Great Wood (Blanchardstown, Dublin)
Metropolitan Police Business CCTV Award 2016
All Parliamentary Beer Group 2015 ‘pub aid award’ (winner)
YouGov Brand Index 2016 ‘Britain’s favourite fast food and pub chain’
(top buzz ranking of 6.4 (double the score of the company placed second))
SAP Customer Centre of Expertise Award 2016
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2015

Top Employer United Kingdom 2015
All Parliamentary Beer Group Pub Aid Award (winner)
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2014

Top Employer United Kingdom 2014
Peach Factory Hero and Icon Awards 2014 ‘power brand’ (winner)
Sustainability Leaders Awards 2014 ‘waste and resource management’ (joint award with DHL) (winner)
Eat Out magazine 2014 ‘the nation’s favourite pub’ (winner)
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2013

Top Employer United Kingdom 2013
Youth 100 Awards entertainment category (winner)
FAB Award ‘best worldwide airport bar 2013’ The Red Lion, Gatwick (winner)
Drinks Business Green Awards 2013 ‘logistics and supply chain green initiative of the year’ (joint award with DHL)
Better Regulatory Delivery Office (BRDO) Primary Authority Partnership Award 2013 ‘recognising how primary authorities and businesses can work together for local growth and better protection’ (in partnership with Reading Borough Council) (winner)
Loo of the Year Awards 2013
- Champions league standards of excellence award
- Scotland (national winner)
- England (national winner)
- Wales (national winner, accessible toilet category)
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2012

Top Employer United Kingdom 2012
SAP Quality Awards 2012 medium-size implementation (gold)
Publican Awards 2012 ‘pub company of the year’ (managed 100+ outlets) (finalist)
Loo of the Year Awards 2012
- UK (overall winner)
- Market sector award
- Champions league standards of excellence award
HM Government Institute of Fundraising, Payroll Giving Quality Mark 2012
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2011

Top Employer United Kingdom 2011
Peach Factory Hero and Icon Awards 2011 ‘industry hero’ (winner)
FTSE4Good, certificate of membership
Loo of the Year Awards 2011
- Overall UK winner
- National winner – Wales
- Champions league standards of excellence

Awards 2010

Top Employer United Kingdom 2010
Publican Awards 2010 ‘pub company of the year’ (managed 100+ outlets) (winner)
The Rainforest Alliance – Sustainable Standard-setter Award
Association for Organics Recycling Awareness ‘retailer of commercial food waste recycling’ (finalist)
CIWM Awards for Environmental Excellence ‘recycling performance of the year’
CLIC Sargent special recognition award (raising £3 million)
MAGA Cornish Language Partnership ‘business of the month’
ACCA Approved Employer Training Development (silver level)
Loo of the Year Awards 2010
- Overall corporate provider UK
- Champions league standards of excellence
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2009

Top Employer United Kingdom 2009
Responsible Drinks Retailing Awards 2009 ‘most responsible managed pub chain’
National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2009
‘best development programme in managed estates’ (winner)
‘social responsibility award when consumption is on the premises’ (winner)
‘best training scheme run by institutions of future education in partnership with the licensed trade’ (winner)
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards ‘best company’ (winner)
Green Heroes – Helping others to Help the Environment
Peach Factory Hero and Icon Awards 2009 ‘evolutionary brand’ (winner)
Business in the Community – CARES award (support for Give and Gain)
FTSE4Good, company membership
Loo of the Year Awards 2009
- Overall corporate provider UK
- Champions league standards of excellence

Awards 2008

Top Employer United Kingdom 2008
National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2008
- ‘best development programme in managed estates’ (winner)
- Social responsibility award, where consumption is on the premises
- ‘best training scheme run by institutions of future education in partnership with the licensed trade’
  (in partnership with Nottingham Trent University) (winner)
The Green Organisation Green Apple Award ‘green champion’ (large companies) (winner)
Loo of the Year Awards 2008 ‘overall corporate provider’
Watford Borough Council One Watford Sustainable Workplace Awards 2008
Guinness World Records ‘largest wine-tasting event in the world’ (17,540 participants in 409 pubs across the UK)
Dover business partnership against crime ‘safer socialising award’ The Eight Bells (Dover)
Wiltshire’s Best Award 2008 ‘best local pub’ Sir Isaac Pitman (Trowbridge)
FTSE4Good, company membership

Awards 2007

Top Employer United Kingdom 2007
National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2007
‘best training scheme run by Institutions of future education in partnership with the licensed trade’
(in partnership with Nottingham Trent University) (winner)
‘best development programme in managed estates’ (highly commended)
Age Awareness Award (2007)
BAA Retailers Academy ‘employer of the year’ (winner)
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards 2007 ‘revitalised brand of the year’ (finalist)
CIWM Awards for Environmental Excellence ‘high street recycling champion’ (joint award with DHL)
Peach 2020 Awards 2007 ‘hero company’ (winner)
Publican Awards 2007 ‘pub company of the year’ (highly commended)
FTSE4Good, company membership
City of London Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership ‘safety thirst award’ The Green Man (Poultry)
Pub Watch achievement awards
- ‘pub manager and team of the year’ The White Swan (Solihull)
- ‘venue of the month’ The Full House (Hemel Hempstead)
- ‘venue of the month’ The Draper’s Arms (Peterborough)
- Best Bar None Awards – The Red Lion (Doncaster)
Loo of the Year Awards 2007
standards of excellence ‘best toilet provider’
- England – The Bishops’ Mill (Durham) (winner)
- Wales – Yr Hen Orsaf (Aberyswyth) (winner)
- Scotland – The Blacksmith’s Forge (Dalkeith) (winner)
- Northern Ireland – The Old Courthouse (Coleraine) (winner)

Awards 2006

Top Employer United Kingdom 2006
National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2006
‘best development programme in managed estates’ (finalist)
‘best training scheme run by institutions of future education, in partnership with the licensed trade’
(in partnership with Nottingham Trent University) (finalist)
Employers Forum on Age – sector leader recognition award
Responsible Drinks Retailing Awards ‘on trade pub company chain’ (winner)
National Clean Air Award – The Draper’s Arms (Peterborough) (gold award)

Awards 2005

Top Employer United Kingdom 2005
Publican Awards 2005 ‘responsible drinks retailing award’ (winner)
Responsible Drinks Retailing Awards 2005 ‘on trade retailers – managed chain’ (shortlisted)
Management Today Awards ‘age positive employer champion’
Age Positive Marketing ‘age positive employer champion’
Loo of the Year Awards 2005 – overall corporate provider
Grocery Advertising and Marketing Industry Award 2005 (gold)
National Recycling Awards 2005 (finalist)

Awards 2004

Top Employer United Kingdom 2004
National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2004
- ‘best development programme in managed estates’ (winner)
- ‘supreme award for the best overall training programme’
The Publican Awards ‘pub company of the year’ (finalist)
The Communicator Crystal Award for Recruitment Advertising 2004 model management kit campaign
Grocery Advertising and Marketing Industry Award 2004 (gold)
Scottish Recruitment Advertising Awards 2004 best outdoor advertisement (winner)
MarCom Creative Recruitment Advertising Awards 2004 ‘This way up’ box campaign (winner)

Awards 2003

Top Employer United Kingdom 2003

Awards 2002

National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2002 ‘supreme award for the best overall training programme’
Publican Awards 2002 ‘pub company of the year’ (managed 100+ outlets) (finalist)
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards 2002 ‘best company’ (finalist)
Theme Bar and Restaurant Awards (southeast region) ‘best new branded operation’
Lloyds No.1 Bar (Watford) (winner)
Loo of the Year Awards 2002
- The Assembly Rooms (Epsom)
- The Ernest Willows (Cardiff)
- Lloyds No.1 Bar (Glasgow)

Awards 2001

National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2001
‘supreme award for the best overall training programme’ (winner)
‘best course to develop food/catering skills’ (highly commended)
‘best targeted training course designed to meet specific operational needs’ (highly commended)
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards 2001
‘best concept’ (winner)
‘best company’ (finalist)
Ease Award for ease of access (pubs and restaurants category) 2001 (overall winner)
Golden Silence Award
Loo of the Year Awards 2001 (overall UK winner)

Awards 2000

National Innkeeping Training Awards (NITA) 2000
‘supreme award for the best overall training programme’ (winner)
‘best course designed to develop catering skills’ (winner)
Ease Award for ease of access (pubs and restaurants category) 2000 (highly commended)
Caterer and Hotel Keeper Awards Pub Industry Award 2000 Tim Martin, J D Wetherspoon (winner)
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards 2000
‘best company’ (winner)
‘best concept’ (finalist)
Publican Awards 2000 ‘pub company of the year’
Management Today Awards 2000 ‘most admired drinks company’
The Caterer and Hotelkeeper Awards 2000 pub industry award

Awards 1999

Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards 1999 ‘best company’ (finalist)
Ease Award for ease of access (pubs and restaurants category) 1999 (winner)

Awards 1998

Ease Award for ease of access (pubs and restaurants category) 1998 (highly commended)
NatWest and Sunday Times Business Enterprise Award ‘in recognition of their outstanding contribution
to the creation of wealth and employment in the UK economy’