Industry votes The Devonshire as its number one
The Devonshire in Soho has won the 2025 Industry’s Choice Award.
The Devonshire in Soho has been chosen as the pub industry's favourite venue, after hundreds of operators and sector representatives voted in the very first Industry's Choice Award.
As part of the 2025 National Pub & Bar Awards, this brand-new accolade was revealed in a Top 10 format, with The Devonshire claiming the number one spot. Co-founders Ashley Palmer-Watts and Oisín Rogers (left and middle) were there on the night to collect the title.
The award was decided by thousands of votes at the start of the year, with a select group of peers all submitting their own Top 10 pubs and bars as part of the process.
Once the six-week voting period closed, the overall Top 10 venues were all invited to the National Pub & Bar Awards on 24 June to discover their place on the list.
The Industry's Choice Award Top 10
1. The Devonshire, Soho
2. The French House, Soho
3. The Red Lion & Sun, Highgate
4. Double Red Duke, Bampton
5. The Bull, Charlbury
6. The Baring, Islington
7. The Church Inn, Mobberley
8. The Woolpack, Slad
9. The Gunton Arms, Norwich
10. The Edinburgh Castle, Manchester
With the top three sites all being situated in London, it was an impressive performance for the capital. However, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire also performed well, with Country Creatures' Double Red Duke, The Woolpack in Slad and The Bull in Charlbury all making the Top 10. The latter, of course, was named National Pub & Bar of the Year as part of the event.
The Church Inn from Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars and The Edinburgh Castle flew the flag for the North West, while The Gunton Arms was the only East of England venue to win over its peers.
A celebration for the on-trade
Following a change-up to previous years, 94 County Winners were announced live at the National Pub & Bar Awards, as well as Highly Commended venues for each area. Regional Winners, which can be seen below, were then announced for every region across the UK.
With The Bull in Charlbury taking home the top honour, other awards on the night were the Pub Group of the Year, which went to Camerons, and Bar Group of the Year, which was won by London’s Inception Group for its bar brand Mr Fogg’s. The Tyrrells Tyrrellbly Good Taste Award – presented by the event’s headline sponsor – was awarded to The Tollemache Arms in Northamptonshire.
All of the 2025 National Pub & Bar Awards winners, including County and Regional, can be found at nationalpubandbarawards.co.uk.
The 2025 National Pub & Bar Awards winners
- East Midlands Pub & Bar of the Year: The Tollemache Arms
- East of England Pub & Bar of the Year: The Gunton Arms
- London Pub & Bar of the Year: The Red Lion & Sun
- North East Pub & Bar of the Year: The Black Swan Inn, Seahouses
- North West Pub & Bar of the Year: The Bull's Head, Mobberley
- Northern Ireland Pub & Bar of the Year: Dundrum Inn
- North Scotland Pub & Bar of the Year: The Barrelman
- South Scotland Pub & Bar of the Year: Kenmuir Arms
- South East Pub & Bar of the Year: The Bull, Charlbury
- South West Pub & Bar of the Year: The Beckford Arms
- Wales Pub & Bar of the Year: Britannia Inn
- West Midlands Pub & Bar of the Year: The Wildmoor Oak
- Yorkshire and the Humber Pub & Bar of the Year: Pinnacle Sports & Games
- Industry’s Choice Award: The Devonshire
- Pub Group of the Year: Camerons
- Bar Group of the Year: Mr Fogg's
- The Tyrrells Tyrrellbly Good Taste Award: The Tollemache Arms
- National Pub & Bar of the Year: The Bull, Charlbury
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