Licensee of the Year is a category open to owner/operators who hold a personal licence in the Scottish on-trade.

Are you – or do you know – a licensee who has worked hard, with the best interests of the Scottish hospitality sector at heart, improving standards and service and running a first class outlet?

Awards criteria will include:

Sponsored by Absolut vodka and Barnomadics, the SLTN Mixologist of the Year award will recognise the bartender who displays the best overall knowledge of the premium spirits category and demonstrates innovation and creativity when making cocktails.

Judges will look for:

For the Beer Quality Award, Tennent’s and SLTN are looking for those outlets keeping, dispensing and presenting beer to the highest possible standard.

Judges will look for:

Open to all bar staff across Scotland, the SLTN Barperson of the Year award seeks to recognise the knowledge and passion of the country’s best all-round barperson.

This award will go to a barperson with a real passion for pubs, who has the skills, knowledge and desire to make a real difference to enhance the experience of their customers.

The Barperson of the Year will demonstrate:

The SLTN Industry Achievement Award 2021, presented in association with Edrington UK, will recognise an individual member of Scotland's hospitality industry who has made a very special contribution.

The most important influences on Scotland’s licensed trade are the people who play their part in it – as owners and entrepreneurs, managers and educators, activists and innovators.

The SLTN Industry Achievement Award will recognise a very special member of the trade.

That may be a lifetime spent at the forefront of the industry or in a single community.

It may recognise a major contribution to the training of young entrants to the industry; to the development of trade bodies; to the promotion and presentation of a local area or of Scotland in general; to the development of an important trade sector, like entertainment, cuisine or visitor attractions; to the significant improvement of standards in the industry; to the enhancement of the image of the licensed trade.

You may propose anyone in the industry who has, in your opinion, made a significant difference – over a full career or over a shorter time.

If you know of someone who has made a major contribution to the development of the industry in Scotland, please play your part in ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve.

SLTN has joined forces with Sky to look for the best venue to watch the match in. The judges are looking to find those on-trade outlets where live sports events are used as a way of maximising business.

Judges will assess:

The SLTN Gastropub of the Year Award will go to a venue that delivers high-end pub food and a quality drinks range to match with first-rate friendly service in a pub environment.

Judges will look for:

Soft drinks is an increasingly important category due to a rise in consumption of nonalcoholic drinks in the on-trade. There’s a growing choice for operators as the market adapts to the trends of craft and artisan soft drinks, so it’s important to select the right products to make your offer as profitable as possible.

SLTN and Vimto Out of Home are looking for an outlet with a clear commitment to offering a full range of soft drinks to suit a broad customer base.

Formats:

The winning venue will demonstrate a consideration for both families and young adults in every aspect of the drinks offer – from providing a range of fruits and flavours, to menu creation, promotions and communications. The drinks range will also be geared towards the family market, with a strong soft drinks offer to cater for all age groups and which takes account of current trends in the soft drinks sector – such as drinks catering for the health conscious consumer and designated drivers. Consideration of stocking a healthier range of products will also be admirable.

The winning outlet will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of having depth of range, presenting soft drinks in a way that entices the customer and drives engagement together with the importance of stocking premium products in 2021.

Do you go the extra mile with your soft drinks offer?

The Independent Multiple Operator of the Year will be a business that consists of four or more bars, restaurants, hotels or nightclubs. Handling all the complexities of multiple site management and fostering strong team spirit will be the key characteristics of this award winner.

The Independent Multiple Operator of the Year award, presented in association with Smirnoff, recognises and celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship that defines Scotland’s licensed trade.

Judges will look for:

The SLTN Restaurant of the Year award will go to the venue that demonstrates the highest quality of food and service together with an excellent range of perfectly-served drinks.

The Restaurant of the Year category is split into two divisions.

In each division the judges will look for:

Craft beer is one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing segments of the beer category.

The SLTN Craft Beer Bar of the Year award will go to an outlet that demonstrates excellence in craft beer, both in terms of product range and the level of knowledge displayed by the team.

Judges will look for:

Gin has been one of the biggest success stories in recent years. There are more gins – including Scottish gins – on the market, more bars stocking a broader range, and more consumers drinking the spirit than ever before.

The SLTN Gin Bar of the Year will demonstrate:

Cocktails provide an excellent opportunity to build on the benefits of premium drinks brands. They can help increase both profitability and consumer appeal. In the Cocktail Bar of the Year category, SLTN and Bombay Sapphire are looking for Scottish bars which make the most effective use of cocktails.

Judges will look for:

Does your bar, restaurant or hotel deliver a quality al fresco experience? If so, Magners and SLTN want to hear from you. The SLTN Best Outdoor Area award will go to a venue with an outdoor space which makes a real impact on the business.

Judges will consider:

The SLTN Rum Bar of the Year will recognise a venue with rum at its very heart – from the range stocked and serves offered to the passion of the staff who work there.

Judges will look for:

New businesses and business ideas are the bedrock of Scotland’s vibrant licensed trade.

For the New Business of the Year award, SLTN and London Essence are looking for an outlet that has launched in Scotland in the last 18 months – including new venues launched from scratch as well as existing premises relaunched in an entirely new style.

Judges will look for:

SLTN and Chivas Regal have joined forces to search for the hospitality industry’s most inspiring and successful entrepreneur.

Judges will consider:

SLTN is delighted to embark on the search for Scotland’s Whisky Bar of the Year, in partnership with Glenfiddich.

Scotch whisky is enjoying unprecedented success around the world but the Scottish on-trade remains a vital route to market for the country’s national drink.

The Whisky Bar of the Year will demonstrate:

When COVID-19 took hold in Scotland and pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels were forced to close, people across the hospitality industry thought of others – from their staff and regulars to local charities and groups – and went the extra mile to help those who needed it.

The SLTN Hospitality Hero Award will recognise an individual in the Scottish trade who went above and beyond to help others during the pandemic.

If you, or someone you know, went the extra mile to help other people we want to hear from you!

Judges will look for someone who has either:

Independent pubs and bars account for a significant portion of the Scottish on-trade. This award will celebrate the vibrancy of the free trade and the important role independent pubs and bars play in Scottish society.

Judges will look for a pub or bar which makes the most of its independent status, and which is both popular and commercially successful.

For the purposes of this award, an independent pub or bar is an outlet with a premises licence which belongs to a free trader who operates no more than three outlets.

Do you operate a great independent pub with an understanding of, and strong connection to, its market? If so, we’d like to hear from you.

Judges will consider: