Henley: Brakspear wins national award for pub accommodation

Henley brewer and pub operator Brakspear has been named Best Accommodation Operator in the country after scooping the title at the Publican Awards 2020. The trophy was presented by comedian Rob Beckett at an awards ceremony in London.

The Publican Awards, run by leading pub magazine The Morning Advertiser, are open to pubs across the UK. Brakspear won its award after a rigorous, three-stage judging by industry experts, who looked at all aspects of the accommodation in the company's nine managed pubs with rooms, from the first-rate comfort and design in the bedrooms to outstanding customer service and a tasty breakfast.

All Brakspear's pub rooms are decorated and furnished to high standards with features such as roll-top baths and rainfall showers, beds with Egyptian cotton linens and Nespresso coffee machines.

Collecting the award, Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said: "We are thrilled to have won a Publican Award, which are widely regarded as the toughest in pub industry. It's great to know that our bedrooms, food and drink have been judged robustly and found to be the best in the country, and I'm grateful to the wonderful managers and staff teams in all our pubs with rooms, whose high standards and outstanding customer service have won this accolade."

Nicholas Robinson, accommodation category judge and managing editor for The Morning Advertiser said: "Brakspear really stood out in this category with its attention to detail in every aspect of the business. From stunning rooms with oodles of character and style to great tasting food throughout the day and a wide variety of drink options. There's something for everyone.

"This is the 29th year of the Publican Awards and the competition is always intense, which is great to see. The standards within the companies that make up the shortlist are outstanding and it was a real pleasure to be part of the judging process."

Brakspear operates 15 managed pubs, nine of them with rooms:

• The Chequers, Marlow
• The Lion, Wendlebury, Bicester
• The Porch House, Stow-in-the-Wold
• Sheep on Sheep Street, Stow-in-the-Wold
• George Townhouse, Shipston-on-Stour
• Frogmill in Shipton Oliffe, near Cheltenham - which reopened in 2018 and is a wedding/events venue as well as offering accommodation, dining and a pub.
• Townhouse, Stratford-upon-Avon
• The Crown at Playhatch, near Reading
• Running Horses in Mickleham, Surrey

The Publican Awards 2020 were presented at Evolution London, in Battersea, at a dinner attended by 1,500 guests from the pub and drinks industry. Four companies were shortlisted for the Best Accommodation Operator title, with Brakspear seeing off competition from PubLove, The Inn Collection Group and Stay Original Company.

From left: Comedian Rob Beckett; Brakspear retail marketing manager Dan Turner; operations manager Sophie Johnson; chief executive Tom Davies; operations manager Tara Buffini and Morning Advertiser managing editor Nicholas Robinson