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Whether you’re in a teeming city or a quiet village in the back of beyonds, one thing you can almost always rely on being nearby is a Great British pub. Going to the pub is as intrinsic to British culture as a cup of tea, or queuing, or singing ‘Mr Brightside’ at karaoke. So, when awards claim to have found the finest pubs in the land, we pay attention.
More than 250 pubs and bars were in the running to be named pub of the year at the National Pub and Bar Awards 2026. The grand prize at this year’s awards went to the Gunton Arms in Norfolk, but there were plenty of other pubs that took home a trophy too. As well as crowning one national winner, the awards highlighted the best pubs in each of the UK’s 94 counties and in its 13 wider regions.
In Scotland, the Ferry Inn on the Isle of Skye was named number one pub for the north and The Noble in Glasgow took the top spot in the south. In Wales, the George III in Dolgellau scooped first prize while the Northern Irish title went to Guildhall Taphouse in Derry.
The top spot in the northeast of England went to The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman's Rest, which also recently picked up first prize at VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence. The northwest’s premier boozer was the Church Inn in Mobberley. Down south, The Mason’s Arms in Clanfield came up trumps in the east and The Bath Arms in Warminster was officially named the greatest pub in the west
Every establishment on this year’s list demonstrated excellence in its everything from its design and service to its marketing and investment. Read on for the full roundup of the regional winners of the National Pub and Bar Awards 2026.
The best pub in every UK region at the 2026 Pub and Bar Awards
- 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 George, Fitzrovia
- North East Pub & Bar of the Year: The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman's Rest
- North West Pub & Bar of the Year: Church Inn, Mobberley
- Northern Ireland Pub & Bar of the Year: Guildhall Taphouse
- North Scotland Pub & Bar of the Year: The Ferry Inn, Isle of Skye
- South Scotland Pub & Bar of the Year: The Noble, Glasgow
- South East Pub & Bar of the Year: The Mason’s Arms, Clanfield
- South West Pub & Bar of the Year: The Bath Arms, Warminster
- Wales Pub & Bar of the Year: George III, Dolgellau
- West Midlands Pub & Bar of the Year: The Bull’s Head, Craswall
- Yorkshire and the Humber Pub & Bar of the Year: The Woolly Sheep Inn, Skipton
Plus: 8 British restaurants were added to the Michelin Guide in May 2026.
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