Leading lights shine at 20th SLTN Awards

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.

SLTN Industry Achievement Award winner Donald MacLeod, presented by Jim Grierson of Maxxium UK (left) alongside Gillian McKenzie, SLTN Editor and Jimmy Carr.
SLTN Industry Achievement Award winner Donald MacLeod, presented by Jim Grierson of Maxxium UK (left) alongside Gillian McKenzie, SLTN Editor and Jimmy Carr.

“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.tables
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

Whisky Bar, Bon Accord

Winner: The Bon Accord, Glasgow
Highly commended: The Pot Still, Glasgow; The Quaich at the Craigellachie, Aberlour

Wine Award, sponsored by Inverarity Morton

Wine Award, Wedgwood

Winner: Wedgwood The Restaurant, Edinburgh
Highly commended: Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow; The Horseshoe, Eddleston, by Peebles

Community Pub of the Year, sponsored by SLTN

Community Pub, Allison Arms

Winner: The Allison Arms, Glasgow
Highly commended: The Bridge Inn, Peebles; Platform 3, Linlithgow

Bartender of the Year, sponsored by Molson Coors

Bartender, Carris Donaldson Bridge Inn

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

Craft Beer, Hanging Bat

Winner: The Hanging Bat, Edinburgh
Highly commended: Brewdog, Dundee; The Crafty Pig, Glasgow

Beer Quality Award, sponsored by Wallaces TCB

Beer Quality, Johnny Foxes

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

Cocktail Bar, Sygn

Winner: Sygn Bar & Kitchen, Edinburgh
Highly commended: The Adamson, St Andrews; The Finnieston, Glasgow

Mixologist of the Year, sponsored by Martell and Barnomadics

Mixologist, Andy Stewart Tippling House

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

Outdoor Area, 29

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

Restaurant (Fine), Brian Maule

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

Restaurant (Casual), The Gannet

Winner: The Gannet, Glasgow
Highly commended: The Whitehouse Restaurant, Lochaline

Independent Pub/Bar of the Year, sponsored by Kopparberg

Independent Bar, Oak Tree Inn

Winner: The Oak Tree Inn, Balmaha
Highly commended: 10 Café Bar, Forfar; The Paper Mill, Lasswade

Social Responsibility Award, sponsored by Diageo GB

Social Responsibility, Institute

Winner: The Institute Nightclub, Aberdeen
Highly commended: Maggie May’s, Glasgow; Campus, Glasgow

Family Outlet of the Year, sponsored by Britvic

Family Outlet, Charwood

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

Late Night Bar, Slouch

Winner: Slouch, Glasgow
Highly commended: Blue Dog, Glasgow; Orchid, Aberdeen

Sports Bar of the Year, sponsored by Sky

Sports Bar, Sportsters

Winner: Sportsters, Falkirk
Highly commended: The Crafty Pig, Glasgow; Rhoderick Dhu, Glasgow

Nightclub of the Year, sponsored by Keglevich

Nightclub, Sub Club

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

IMO, Manorview

Winner: Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group
Highly commended: Kained Holdings; The Signature Pub Group

Licensee of the Year, sponsored by Carlsberg

Licensee, Liz Ferguson

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

Unsung Hero, Lisa Smith

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

SLTN Industry Achievement Award winner Donald MacLeod, presented by Jim Grierson of Maxxium UK (left) alongside Gillian McKenzie, SLTN Editor and Jimmy Carr.
SLTN Industry Achievement Award winner Donald MacLeod, presented by Jim Grierson of Maxxium UK (left) alongside Gillian McKenzie, SLTN Editor and Jimmy Carr.

Donald MacLeod