Angela Vickers, director of Apex Hospitality Group, has been presented with the 2026 SLTN Award for Industry Achievement.
The veteran hotelier, who has led a tenfold growth in the Scottish group, received the award at a glittering ceremony held last night in Glasgow, in front of an audience of 700 hospitality professionals.
When Angela Vickers joined Apex in 2004 the company was about to open its fifth hotel. Under her leadership the business has grown to 12 hotels, employing 1500 people and turning over £100 million a year.
Angela has also been a passionate supporter of industry charity HIT Scotland as a trustee and former chair of the organisation, which helps people in the industry to develop their skills and progress in their careers.
Last year Angela decided to forgo retirement in order to head up an entirely new division of Apex – the Monogram Collective – taking responsibility for three country house hotels and a whole new set of challenges.
The 30th SLTN Awards, hosted by comedian, writer and presenter Katherine Ryan, saw more than 20 of the Scottish Licensed Trade News’ coveted corkscrew trophies handed out to pubs, bars, restaurants and staff from across Scotland.
Angela Vickers wasn’t the only individual honoured on the night.
Robert, Vivien and Aaron Kyle, directors of RAD Hotel Group, were presented with the Entrepreneur of the Year award, while Richard Harris of The Original Rosslyn Inn was named Licensee of the Year; Sam Chatterji of Bittersweet in Leith won the Bartender of the Year title; and Kim Toft of Daddy Marmalades in Glasgow was named Mixologist of the Year.
Daddy Marmalades was one of four venues to have retained an award from last year. The bar was named Cocktail Bar of the Year for the second year running, while Malones Leith retained the Beer Quality Award, Killiecrankie House in Pitlochry was named Restaurant of the Year (Fine Dining) for the second consecutive year and Malones Edinburgh retained the title of Best Venue to Watch the Match.
Elsewhere The Pawn Lounge in Alexandria won the coveted title of Community Pub of the Year, while Dornoch Castle Whisky Bar won the hotly-contested Whisky Bar of the Year category.
SLTN print editor, Dave Hunter, said: “The SLTN Awards has been celebrating the best of Scottish hospitality for three decades, and in 2026 our job was harder than ever.
“The passion of hospitality business owners and staff across Scotland is second to none, and our judges were impressed time and again by the standard around the country.
“To have even made the shortlist is an incredible achievement. To have won one of our trophies marks you as one of the very best the Scottish industry has to offer.”
SLTN digital editor, Gordon Davidson, added: “Every year the SLTN Awards is the culmination of months of work and thousands of miles travelled. It’s a massive undertaking, and I’d like to thank all the sponsor and independent judges that help make the process as thorough as it is.
“Congratulations to all of our winners and finalists; every one of them deserves credit for helping to make the licensed trade one of Scotland’s best-loved industries.”
SLTN Awards 2026 winners and highly commended finalists –
Whisky Bar of the Year, in association with Whyte & Mackay
Winner: Dornoch Castle Whisky Bar, Dornoch
Highly Commended: The Mother Superior, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: The Pot Still, Glasgow
The Wine Award, in association with Inverarity Morton
Winner: Le Petit Raisin, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: Divino, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: Unalome, Glasgow
Spirits Bar of the Year, in association with Schweppes
Winner: Bittersweet, Leith
Highly Commended: The Old Workshop, Aberdeen
Highly Commended: VEGA, Glasgow
Community Pub of the Year, in association with AG Barr
Winner: The Pawn Lounge, Alexandria
Highly Commended: Angels Hotel, Uddingston
Highly Commended: The Original Rosslyn Inn, Roslin
Family-Owned Business of the Year, in association with Matheson Lawson Solicitors
Winner: Arkless Enterprises, Stranraer
Highly Commended: Bridgewell Leisure, Lanarkshire
Highly Commended: Mardal, St Andrews
Beer Quality Award, in association with Tennent’s Lager
Winner: Malones, Leith
Highly Commended: The Dome, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: The Stag, Forfar
Best Outdoor Area, in association with Kopparberg
Winner: The Ship Inn, Elie
Highly Commended: Allanton Inn, Duns
Highly Commended: SiSi Rooftop, Glasgow
Best Venue to Watch the Match, in association with Sky Business
Winner: Malones, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: Angels Hotel, Uddingston
Highly Commended: The Raven, Glasgow
Music-Led Venue of the Year, in association with SLTN
Winner: BLOC+, Glasgow
Highly Commended: King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
Highly Commended: Whistlebinkies Live Music Bar, Edinburgh
Mixologist of the Year, in association with Marie Brizard
Winner: Kim Toft, Daddy Marmalades, Glasgow
Highly Commended: Branford Edgar, Kelvingrove Café, Glasgow
Highly Commended: Carrie Smith, Hawksmoor, Edinburgh
Bartender of the Year, in association with FUNKIN PRO-COCKTAILS
Winner: Sam Chatterji, Bittersweet, Leith
Highly Commended: Gracie Goggins, The Last Word, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: Luke Robertson, Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow
Licensee of the Year, in association with Sazerac UK
Winner: Richard Harris, The Original Rosslyn Inn, Roslin
Highly Commended: Jacqueline & Tommy Fox, The Barrelman, Dundee
Highly Commended: Monica McQuilter, The Ivy Lodge, Aberdeen
Restaurant of the Year (Casual Dining), in association with Tennent’s
Winner: Bistro Eleven Fifty Five, Glasgow
Highly Commended: Coorie Inn, Muthill
Restaurant of the Year (Fine Dining), in association with Tennent’s
Winner: Killiecrankie House, Pitlochry
Highly Commended: Unalome, Glasgow
Gastropub of the Year, in association with Deanston Whisky
Winner: Shoreline, Newport-on-Tay
Highly Commended: The Chop and Ale House at Champany Inn, Linlithgow
Highly Commended: The Kirkmichael Arms, South Ayrshire
Cocktail Bar of the Year, in association with Absolut
Winner: Daddy Marmalades, Glasgow
Highly Commended: Bittersweet, Leith
Highly Commended: Kelvingrove Café, Glasgow
New Business of the Year, in association with Pepsi MAX
Winner: The Boston Bar Old Town, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: SiSi Rooftop, Glasgow
Highly Commended: The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack, South Queensferry
Independent Pub/Bar of the Year, in association with Molson Coors Beverage Company
Winner: The Corona Bar, Glasgow
Highly Commended: BLOC+, Glasgow
Highly Commended: The Fort Hotel, Broughty Ferry
Late-Night Venue of the Year, in association with SLTN
Winner: Freddy’s, Edinburgh
Highly Commended: Malones, Glasgow
Highly Commended: WhyNot Nightclub, Edinburgh
Independent Multiple Operator of the Year (4-7 Outlets), in association with Diageo
Winner: Vittoria Group
Independent Multiple Operator of the Year (8+ Outlets), in association with Diageo
Winner: The DRG
Entrepreneur of the Year, in association with Modelo Especial
Winner: Robert, Vivien and Aaron Kyle, RAD Hotel Group
SLTN Award for Industry Achievement, in association with Glenmorangie
Winner: Angela Vickers, Apex Hospitality Group
