The leading lights in Scotland’s licensed trade enjoyed their well-deserved moment in the spotlight at this year’s SLTN Awards.
Comedian Jimmy Carr presented awards to 20 of Scotland’s best pubs, clubs, restaurants, staff and operators at the 20th SLTN Awards at the Hilton Glasgow last Thursday (November 5).
Donald MacLeod, who owns Glasgow rock club the Cathouse and student venue The Garage, which celebrated their 25th and 21st birthdays this year, was presented with the
Industry Achievement Award, in association with Maxxium UK.
Accepting the award, Donald said: “It means a lot to me to be recognised by my peers.
“I want to thank everybody that has helped put me in the position that I am today; all my staff, my managers, and then of course my family and friends.
“I’ll say to anybody out there that doesn’t think this is an industry worth fighting for, ‘you’re wrong’.”
Donald wasn’t the only individual recognised on the night.
Carris Donaldson of The Bridge Inn in Peebles was named Bartender of the Year; Liz Ferguson of The Lock Inn in Fort Augustus took the title of Licensee of the Year; the award for Mixologist of the Year went to Andy Stewart of The Tippling House in Aberdeen; and Lisa Smith of Platform 3 in Linlithgow was named this year’s Unsung Hero.
Other winners included Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, which was named Independent Multiple Operator of the Year; Glasgow’s Sub Club, which took the title of Nightclub of the Year; The Institute Nightclub in Aberdeen, which won the Social Responsibility Award; The Oak Tree Inn in Balmaha, which was named Independent Pub of the Year; and Falkirk bar Sportsters, winner of the Sports Bar of the Year award.
The Bon Accord in Glasgow was named Whisky Bar of the Year; Wedgwood The Restaurant in Edinburgh took the Wine Award; the Community Pub of the Year Award went to The Allison Arms in Strathbungo; The Hanging Bat in Edinburgh took the Craft Beer Award; the Beer Quality Award went to Johnny Foxes in Inverness; Edinburgh’s Sygn Bar & Kitchen was named Cocktail Bar of the Year; 29 in Glasgow took the award for Best Outdoor Area; Charwood in Edinburgh was named Family Outlet of the Year; and the Late Night Bar award went to Slouch in Glasgow. Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or in Glasgow was named Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year, while fellow Glasgow eatery The Gannet took the Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year Award.
SLTN Awards 2015
Winners and highly commended finalists
Whisky Bar of the Year, sponsored by Glenfiddich
Winner: The Bon Accord, Glasgow
Highly commended: The Pot Still, Glasgow; The Quaich at the Craigellachie, Aberlour
Wine Award, sponsored by Inverarity Morton
Winner: Wedgwood The Restaurant, Edinburgh
Highly commended: Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow; The Horseshoe, Eddleston, by Peebles
Community Pub of the Year, sponsored by SLTN
Winner: The Allison Arms, Glasgow
Highly commended: The Bridge Inn, Peebles; Platform 3, Linlithgow
Bartender of the Year, sponsored by Molson Coors
Winner: Carris Donaldson, The Bridge Inn, Peebles
Highly commended: Justyna Baszczynska, Gosford Bar at The Victoria Park House Hotel, Edinburgh; Adam Pender, Montpeliers of Bruntsfield, Edinburgh
Craft Beer Award, sponsored by Eden Mill
Winner: The Hanging Bat, Edinburgh
Highly commended: Brewdog, Dundee; The Crafty Pig, Glasgow
Beer Quality Award, sponsored by Wallaces TCB
Winner: Johnny Foxes, Inverness
Highly commended: No.1 High Street, Edinburgh; Winstons, Corstorphine, Edinburgh
Cocktail Bar of the Year, sponsored by Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands
Winner: Sygn Bar & Kitchen, Edinburgh
Highly commended: The Adamson, St Andrews; The Finnieston, Glasgow
Mixologist of the Year, sponsored by Martell and Barnomadics
Winner: Andy Stewart, The Tippling House, Aberdeen
Highly commended: Miran Chauhan, The Bon Vivant, Edinburgh; Andy Thompson, The Huxley, Edinburgh
Best Outdoor Area, sponsored by Magners
Winner: 29 Private Members Club, Glasgow
Highly commended: Guild of Foresters, Edinburgh; Victoria Park House Hotel, Edinburgh
Restaurant of the Year (fine dining), sponsored by Strathmore Spring Water
Winner: Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or, Glasgow
Highly commended: Number One at The Balmoral, Edinburgh
Restaurant of the Year (casual dining), sponsored by Strathmore Spring Water
Winner: The Gannet, Glasgow
Highly commended: The Whitehouse Restaurant, Lochaline
Independent Pub/Bar of the Year, sponsored by Kopparberg
Winner: The Oak Tree Inn, Balmaha
Highly commended: 10 Café Bar, Forfar; The Paper Mill, Lasswade
Social Responsibility Award, sponsored by Diageo GB
Winner: The Institute Nightclub, Aberdeen
Highly commended: Maggie May’s, Glasgow; Campus, Glasgow
Family Outlet of the Year, sponsored by Britvic
Winner: Charwood, Edinburgh
Highly commended: Di Maggio’s City Centre, Glasgow; West Brewery, Bar and Restaurant, Glasgow
Late Night Bar of the Year, sponsored by Tsingtao
Winner: Slouch, Glasgow
Highly commended: Blue Dog, Glasgow; Orchid, Aberdeen
Sports Bar of the Year, sponsored by Sky
Winner: Sportsters, Falkirk
Highly commended: The Crafty Pig, Glasgow; Rhoderick Dhu, Glasgow
Nightclub of the Year, sponsored by Keglevich
Winner: Sub Club, Glasgow
Highly commended: Why Not Nightclub, Edinburgh; Live Lounge at The Commercial Hotel, Wishaw
Independent Multiple Operator of the Year, sponsored by Smirnoff
Winner: Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group
Highly commended: Kained Holdings; The Signature Pub Group
Licensee of the Year, sponsored by Carlsberg
Winner: Liz Ferguson, The Lock Inn, Fort Augustus
Highly commended: Gerry Savage, The Burnbrae, Bearsden; Barbara Steele, The Allison Arms, Glasgow
Unsung Hero, sponsored by Hugh Stirling
Winner: Lisa Smith, Platform 3, Linlithgow
Highly commended: Susan Wallace, The Bankfoot Inn, Bankfoot; Iain & Katie McLaren, The Kimberley Tavern, Glasgow
Industry Achievement Award, sponsored by Maxxium UK
Donald MacLeod
