Once again answering the question – “who are the true stars of Glasgow’s vibrant bar scene?” – the Glasgow Bar Awards have been handed out amidst the kind of scenes of bacchanalia and uproar only ever encountered at a Monday night gathering of off-duty barstaff.
From neighbourhood institutions to late-night legends, cocktail innovators to unsung hospitality heroes, all were hauled up onto the stage at Saint Luke’s, in the city’s east end, to accept their trophies during the annual Glasgow Bartenders Ball.
Now in their fifth year, the Glasgow Bar Awards aim to champion the ‘creativity, resilience and community spirit’ that combine to make Glasgow one of the UK’s most exciting bar cities.
With over 400 industry folk in attendance, and 13 awards categories on the night, organisers were delighted to say that ‘Glasgow absolutely turned up’ to make the most of the evening, which was sponsored by a broad range of drinks brands.
Some of awards were settled by competitive events in the run up to the night, but the majority of the categories were decided by a combination of peer voting and a panel made up of 75 experts from past winners and influential trade professionals.
- The Best Bar award, sponsored by Three Cent & BASE Spirits, was won by Kelvingrove Café;
- The Best Pub award went to The Pot Still;
- The Best Restaurant Bar, sponsored by Champagne Piaff, was won by Sebb’s;
- Best Bar team, sponsored by Monkey Shoulder, went to The Absent Ear;
- Best Late Night Venue, sponsored by Three Spirit Non Alcoholic, was won by The Berkeley Suite;
- This year’s Unsung Hero award, sponsored by Red Bull, was given to Lynsey Cameron of The Gate;
- A new award this year, Best Independent Multiple Operator, sponsored by Proof drinks, was won by The Lazzurri Group;
- The Rising Star award, sponsored by Bacardi, went to Stuart Walker of Sebb’s;
- This year’s Best Shake, supported by Rémy Cointreau, was won by Liam Grogan of The Absent Ear;
- The Best Cocktail award, sponsored by Pernod Ricard, was given to Daddy Marmalades for their ‘Puntin’ Pastries’;
- The Social Star award went to Christopher McConnell, of Corset Club;
- The Far Side of the Bar award, sponsored by Dunns Food and Drink, was given to Annabelle Sherwood, of Jubel;
- And finally, the Legend award, put up by event organisers Backs! Hospitality, went to Ally ‘Michelin-recommended’ Shaw, of Scoop Restaurants.
Monkey Shoulder brand manager James Eisen commented: “Monkey Shoulder is proudly rooted in Scotland, so supporting the country’s incredible hospitality community is something we care deeply about.
“The Glasgow Bartenders Ball is a brilliant celebration of the creativity and energy that make this scene so special, and we’re thrilled to champion the bartenders who keep Scotland at the forefront of cocktail culture.”
Organised by Backs! Hospitality — the community interest company founded by David Smillie and Alex Riches — the event was open to everyone working in the licensed trade, from bartenders and baristas to brand ambassadors and operators.
As in previous years, proceeds from its ticket sales will be reinvested into training, mentoring and development initiatives that support the next generation of Scottish hospitality talent.
