Pubco toasts its finest outlets

Venues honoured at inaugural in-house awards event

Michelle Hart, manager of Stirrup Stane, which won Community Pub of the Year

IONA Pub Partnership raised a glass to the best of its venues recently at its first ever internal awards ceremony.

The event, which took place during the company’s annual trade show, saw gongs handed out in five different categories.

The Swan Inn, in the East Renfrew-shire village of Eaglesham, picked up the night’s top accolade of Pub of the Year.

The Swan’s Marco Sarao paid tribute to the “brilliant support” the pub has received from locals in the village since it reopened at the start of the year.

The Best Pint Award went to the Pot Still in Glasgow, while Livingston’s Stirrup Stane was named Community Pub of the Year, with manager Michelle Hart saying she was “over the moon” and that it was a “complete shock” to have won.

The Avenue in Bishopbriggs was named Food Pub of the Year while The Piper in Glasgow took the Customer Service Award.

Iona’s graphics and marketing manager, Craig Grant, who organised the event, said: “Our aim with these awards is to celebrate the excellent standard of pubs we get to experience every day within our estate.

“It’s a small recognition which doesn’t begin to do justice to the continuous effort and passion shown by all those nominated.

“A lot of praise is due to all our finalists, winners, brand partners and our internal team who all helped make the day possible.

“They really are a credit to the company and the Scottish pub trade.”