Northern Ireland focuses on the orchard county as Richhill prepares for fayre

October is the month to celebrate the harvest and there’s no better place to do it than in our orchard county.
Armagh’s famous orchards become the focus for Northern Ireland as Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre prepares to welcome thousands of people on Saturday to celebrate our world famous Bramley apple.

Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre is back on October 29 as a celebration of all the very best food and drink which the region has to offer.

Yet again this year, a host of food and drink producers will come to Richhill’s historic village square to celebrate our connection with our land in the Food Heartlands. But as well as a showcase of food and drink there will also be a whole range of activities for families to enjoy.

Speaking ahead of this year’s fayre, the Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Garath Keating, said: “We live and work in a very special place. Our reputation as being the orchard county has certainly put our special place on the food map.

“The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre is a fayre which is now in its third year and its success continues to build year on year. Here in Armagh we are very proud of our heritage so this is a fantastic day out in the rural Food Heartlands where we can all celebrate our world famous Bramley Apple and celebrate all of our other local producers.

“I am delighted to support the Richhill Appple Harvest Fayre.”
Joining Mayor Keating in his orchards recently and at the official launch of the fayre in Richhill’s Cafe Casa, Hamilton Loney said there has been a big crop this year.

He said: “The harvest is a very busy time for fruit growers like myself. There’s so much work to do and this year there has been a fantastic crop. The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre celebrates the work we do. It celebrates our connection with our land. It’s an opportunity for families to come out and support the rural community’s efforts.

“We look forward to welcoming families for the third year in a row. The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre is fast becoming a date in everyone’s diary.”

The fayre, which takes place from 9.30am to 5pm, is a chance to sample the delicious produce on sale, have
something to eat, enjoy cookery demonstrations, sample locally produced ciders and juices, listen to the live entertainment on offer all day and take part in the many children’s activities on offer.

The cookery demonstrations will run throughout the day with some of Armagh’s finest showcasing their talents and showing the amazing dishes which can be prepared using finest local ingredients especially the Armagh apples.
Live music and entertainment will be on the main stage and back by popular demand is the tug-of-war display where local people can also get involved in the challenge. There will be children’s entertainment running throughout the day in the grounds of Richhill Castle and families can also meet some special animals which star in The Game of Thrones.

This fayre has been organised by Richhill Buildings Preservation Trust by a dedicated team of volunteers. It has received financial support from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and local private businesses who also sponsor the event.

Castlederg Apple Fair will be trip down memory lane

A replica of an old railway tram will be among the attractions at one of Northern Ireland’s oldest apple fairs taking place on Friday, October 28th, as part of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Hallowe’en celebrations which also coincide with Harvest month during Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016.

Castlederg Apple Fair has been running on the last Friday of October for the past 100 years and the historic event is at the core of a packed programme of festivities taking place in the Co Tyrone town on Friday, October 28th and Saturday, October 29th.

Mayor of Derry and Strabane district, Alderman Hilary McClintock, said the unveiling of a replica of the original tram which was used to transport apples from Co Armagh to Castlederg in bygone days would be an added highlight during this year’s celebrations.

Mayor McClintock said: “There is great excitement about the building of a replica of one of the original trams which was part of the Great Northern Railway which ran from Victoria Bridge to Castlederg and brought produce to the town from 1883-1933.

“Castlederg Apple Fair is a long-running tradition in the town with apple sellers travelling from Co Armagh in the lead-up to Hallowe’en for the past 100 years. And, with a host of family-friendly activities programmed by the Council to mark the occasion, we are expecting a big influx of visitors to join the local community for the event.”
The replica tram measuring 13ft long by 6ft wide and painted oxide red, has been built by local craftsmen for display in the town’s Diamond area, and it will sit on 30ft of original track which was salvaged by local businesspeople last year.

Gordon Speer, manager of Border Arts in Castlederg, one of the main organisers, revealed that two lengths of track were discovered during the removal of an old mobile shop from the back of business premises in the town centre.
While the replica tram will be the main centrepiece when it is temporarily installed in John Street, all eyes will also be on the visiting apple sellers plying their trade with scrumptious varieties of the popular fruit from the ‘Orchard County’ on Friday, October 28th from 12.30pm until 5pm.

The replica tram will not be the only four-wheeled vehicle making a special appearance in Castlederg on October 28th as Roland Duke, one of the traditional apple sellers making the annual trip from Portadown, will also be bringing his prized vintage Bedford truck.

He explained: “My father, John Alexander Duke, went to Castlederg with the same type of old truck back in the 1950s. I’ll be bringing two varieties of apple, the Bramley cooking apple and Katy red dessert apple which originally came from England and was planted in Co. Armagh, and they will be displayed in original 1950s-style boxes”.

Roland Duke said that he only brings the distinctive 1948 Bedford truck out seven times a year including the Castlederg Apple Fair and both he and his nephew will be dressed for the occasion as “old time apple sellers” wearing a flat cap, brown coat and boots.

James Wright from Derrylee in Dungannon which borders Co Armagh, has been coming to the Apple Fair for more than 20 years like his father and grandfather before him and, his own son, Alan (22) has also been accompanying him since he was just four years old.

Although James has seen big changes over the years in the way people buy their apples and use them for baking, he doesn’t think the traditional street fair will ever die out completely.

“The Castlederg Apple Fair is probably the last of its kind in Ireland and although a lot of the old bakery skills are lost, it’s the people you meet who make it. I’ll be bringing the famous Armagh Bramley and a few Armagh ‘eaters’’; the Bramley is the queen!”

Castlederg resident and retired councillor Jim Emery also has fond memories of the local Apple Fair being a big attraction for locals, going right back to his school days.
“They brought the apples from Armagh by GNR train down the length of Victoria Bridge and then went on to Castlederg by tram until the railways closed in 1933. There was always a great tradition of buying a box or bag of cooking apples and eating apples as well.

“We always looked forward to going down to the Apple Fair; some of the sellers would have allowed us to sample the apples and people didn’t buy too quick as the apples usually tended to come down in price as the day went on. I’m not a cook myself but I love apple tarts going back to when my mother made them and they used to put a ring in them.”

Susan Doherty, Economic Development Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, said preparations were well underway for Friday’s Apple Fair with live music, walkabout street characters and cookery demonstrations in the marquee at the Diamond all adding to the festivities.

She continued: “The apple sellers will be in the town centre from early morning with their delicious varieties of popular cooking and eating apples. There will also be musical entertainment by local school children and local bands from 1pm-2pm and cookery demonstrations in the marquee from 2pm-4pm with chefs Sean Harrigan from the Sooty Olive in Derry and Colm McMenamin, from The Red Pepper in Castlederg showcasing their culinary skills in the Food NI kitchen.”

Castlederg Women’s Institute will also have a home baking display and the popular local Scarecrow Trail involving local schools will be showcased in shop windows during the celebrations.
A ‘Hoolie on the Hill’ and Fireworks Display will also take place in Castlederg on Friday evening while the festivities continue the following day when Border Arts presents ‘Castlederg Piping Hot’ featuring pipe bands and Uilleann pipers in the marquee on Saturday, October 29th from 1pm-5pm.
For full details of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s 30th anniversary ‘Out Of This World’ Hallowe’en celebrations, visit www.derrystrabane.com/halloween

Ghoulishly good food in Derry’s Hallowe’en Hell’s Kitchen

Bloodied steak sandwiches, frightfully fiery soup, teeth-chattering ice-(s)cream and other ghoulishly good food will be on the menu when Derry’s Waterloo Place is transformed into Hell’s Kitchen during Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Hallowe’en celebrations from October 28th until October 31st.

Some of the North West’s most spooktacular street vendors will be cooking up terrifyingly tasty bites from Friday, October 28th until Sunday, October 30th from 12 noon until 8.30pm and on Hallowe’en night itself, Monday, October 31st, until 10pm when Hell’s Kitchen stays open that bit later to feed famished festival foodies – there might even be a full moon!

Local celebrity chef Emmett McCourt will be among traders and revellers getting into the spirit of the celebrations by donning a special costume and, his Irish Food Heritage trailer will also be getting a Hallowe’en makeover for the event coinciding with October’s Harvest theme during Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016, supported by Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Mary Blake, Council’s Tourism Development Manager, said Hell’s Kitchen will cast a culinary spell on foodies keen to get their teeth into the city’s 30th anniversary ‘Out of This World’ Hallowe’en celebrations in Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place.

She continued: “We are delighted to be incorporating our new Hell’s Kitchen together with Council’s Haunted Harvest Market showcasing food and crafts from local producers and suppliers, including the Walled City Market. As with all our festival events, Hell’s Kitchen will celebrate award-winning local food provenance and we are delighted the event is attracting street vendors from across the north west and wider region as we continue to celebrate Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink and this month’s Harvest theme.”

Emmett McCourt, author of the Gourmand world award-winning cookery book, ‘Feast or Famine’, will be cooking three special Hallowe’en themed dishes in Hell’s Kitchen including, Bloodied Steak Sandwich using 25-day salt cured sirloin steak from Hannan Meats with Sperrin Blue cheese from Tamnagh Foods served on local sourdough bread and wild rocket.

Hungry revellers will also be saying a big ‘fang you’ when they get the chance to feast fearlessly on Jack O’Lantern Fiery Turnip and Pumpkin Soup, and Emmett’s signature Boxty – a traditional Irish potato pancake – given a special Hallowe’en twist with Armagh apple and Lumper potato.

While Hallowe’en is believed to stem from Samhain, the Pagan Feast of the Dead which marked the old Celtic New Year, it was also a celebration of everything that came to fruition during harvest time, preservation of foods for the winter and slaughter of cattle to feast on to celebrate the old and the new, the ‘Feast or Famine’ author explained.

Emmett will be following the tradition of carving turnips known as Jack O’Lanterns named after the mythical character ‘Stingy Jack’ associated with All Hallows Eve, who, according to ancient Irish folklore, tricked the devil into saving his soul by sending him off to pick apples.

He continued: “When the Irish emigrated after the Famine they took these stories to America. They started off with rutabaga, a root vegetable similar to turnip as they couldn’t find many turnips growing. The pumpkin is the modern version of the Jack O’Lantern and is easier carved to put a light in, but America has Irish folklore to thank for the tradition.”
If there’s a culinary choice to be made between the humble turnip or the plumper pumpkin, it’s no contest for the ‘Feast or Famine’ author. “It has to be the turnip, pumpkins are a bit bland”, according to Emmett who has fond memories of growing up eating turnips fried in bacon fat.

“The turnip is very underrated but it features in a lot of my signature dishes such as turnip puree and diced turnip with corned beef. In the 1880s there were thousands of turnips growing wild around the North West; they were rife and people loved their turnips.”

Emmett will be adding both turnips and pumpkins to the cauldron for his special fiery soup as Hell’s Kitchen turns up the heat in the Best Hallowe’en Destination in the World as voted by USA Today readers.

ShapeShifters! live music stage and street performances and, The Ghost of Dopey Dick interactive performances and light installation, will also add to the festive atmosphere in the Guildhall Square and Waterloo Place areas from October 28th-31st.

The full programme of the city and district’s Hallowe’en events including the Haunted Harvest Market and Hell’s Kitchen is available at www.derrystrabane.com/halloween For further information on council events celebrating Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016 visit www.derrystrabane/food

Discover Your Local ‘Roots’ at Comber Farmers’ Market

On Thursday 3rd of November, the popular monthly Comber Farmers’ Market will celebrate the month of ‘Legacy and Learn To’ as part of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink, taking the opportunity to encourage younger generations to be involved in learn-to’s, how-to’s and be inspired about local food and plant produce.

The products offered at the market all originate from surrounding areas in Northern Ireland and following on from the Harvest and approaching Christmas there is no better time of year to appreciate the legacy of producers from the area.

Schools will be on half-term so there will be a number of workshops for kids including a colouring in competition from Farm House Treats, a bulb planting station hosted by the Uncommon Garden Company and a fun-filled lolly making workshop with Wee Choco.

Helen’s Bay Walled Garden will be demonstrating sowing of micro cress and children will be taught how to pot peas with Sow, Grow, Munch. They will also learn about and taste different foods with the Food NI Taste Adventure

A short walk away from the market, Indie Fude, the food emporium in Comber Courtyard, High Street, Comber will also be hosting a free cookery demonstration for families called ‘Pot to Plate’ at 12.00pm. Kim Close, a local chef, will be demonstrating how to cook heritage vegetables sourced from the market.kenny-forthill

Around 25 regular stall holders will be offering free range eggs, plants, flowers, meats, fish, cakes, chocolate, chutneys and many more interesting and freshly made food products including certified raw milk from the Jersey cows at Hannah’s Farm near Carryduff.

Comber Farmers’ Market happily invite and encourage regular and new friends to come along to this important artisan event, and to support local producers.

Some exciting news this month, as the market has been nominated for the ‘Best Tourism Event or Activity’ in the Ards Business Awards. Voting slips are available in the Newtownards Chronicle and the market is asking for your support – Vote Comber Farmers’ Market!

The market can be found in St Mary’s Church Hall car park in Comber Square and opens from 9.00am -1.30pm. Car parking is available nearby in public car parks around in the town, in Parkway and at 1st Comber Presbyterian Church.

More information on Comber Farmers’ Market can be found at combermarket.co.uk; and regular updates are posted on the Facebook, Twitter pages and Instagram pages.

Seven days of foodie celebrations announced across Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council

In celebration of the 2016 Year of Food and Drink for Northern Ireland, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council have announced Treat Week – a celebration of restaurants, cafes and gastropubs. Over 50 eateries will be cooking up a culinary storm from 29th October to 5th November across the council area spanning Moira to Dundonald.

Lisburn & Castlereagh features an eclectic choice of eating and drinking experiences with its restauranteurs and café owners tapping into changing lifestyle trends. This is reflected in the emergence of specialist cafes such as Goodness Rocks in Newtownbreda and themed diners and family restaurants from Sugar Rays in Dundonald to Del Toro in Lisburn.

Commenting on the high quality of the eating-out offering found across Lisburn & Castlereagh, Councillor Uel Mackin, Chairman of the Development Committee, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, said, “We are privileged to have such a variety of outstanding and unique eateries, restaurants, and bars in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area which cater for all tastes and every occasion, whether it is simply catching up with a friend over a coffee, a family outing, or a more special eating out experience. Initiatives such as Treat Week highlight the diversity and supreme quality of food and drink that is both produced and served across the Council area.”

In the last 12 months alone, the move towards more casual dining is evident and the prevalence of provenance reflected in the menus of recently launched and refurbished establishments by leading chefs such as Derek Patterson, Stevie Higginson and Danny Millar. With the Michelin trained Chef Chris McGowan choosing Moira as his location of choice following his move back to Northern Ireland, Lisburn & Castlereagh is making its mark in the province’s food scene.

“Northern Ireland’s food landscape has undergone a total transformation in recent years, with world class chefs emerging across the province,” said Joanne McErlain, Treat Week organiser.

“The Year of Food and Drink has given us the impetus and confidence to shout about the provincial restaurant and café offerings, rather than hide in the shadows of the eating out scene in Belfast, Dublin or beyond. What has really come to the fore is our chefs’ inherent passion for provenance of the food they serve and they have been true ambassadors for our burgeoning food culture. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Lisburn & Castlereagh during Treat Week to continue to build awareness of the diversity and quality of eateries in our locality.”

Encouraging local people to make the most of Treat Week, Jim McCauley, Service Delivery Manager, Translink said, “We are delighted to come on-board as the official travel partner for Treat Week, and would encourage as many people as possible to make the most of this fantastic initiative.

Whether you’re a regular restaurant goer or visiting for the first time, why not hop on-board the bus or train and let us get you there. Translink is always delighted to support local events and provide travel solutions so that passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful array of Northern Ireland’s food and drink on offer!”

Throughout the duration of Treat Week, guests can also look forward to experiencing gourmet evenings, and pop up suppers and brunches, in addition to special offers and signature dishes featured throughout the week. Chef demos, masterclasses and village food trails will offer opportunities for exploration and discovery and highlight the fantastic local ingredients and forward-thinking restaurants that push our culinary boundaries right on our doorstep.

Treat Week will launch on Saturday 29th October with a special Halloween Fest at Inns Market, Newtownbreda including chef demos and family fun from 10am – 2pm. The seven days of celebration will culminate at Lisburn Square on Saturday 5th November from 12pm – 4pm with Kitchen Sessions and Meet the Producers Fair.

Other events to look out for include special chef demos for all ages led by Chef Stephen Jeffers of the recently opened Forestside Cookery School as well as a culinary journey exploring locally produced food served in cafes and restaurants during the Moira Food Trail, on Saturday 5th November.

For more information or to explore the full line-up of Treat Week events held across Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council visit www.visitlisburncastlereagh.com or follow Treat Week on facebook.com/TreatWeek Twitter @TreatWeek and Instagram @TreatWeek2016

Search for Northern Ireland’s Hospitality Stars Hots Up

Shortlist announced for Hospitality Ulster’s Pub of the Year Awards

The search to find Northern Ireland’s top hospitality stars is stepping up a gear, as the shortlist for Hospitality Ulster’s Pub of the Year Awards 2016 is revealed.

This year’s Awards will be the mostly hotly contested to date. Following a record number of entries from pubs, hotels and restaurants, a total of 46 shortlisted premises and individuals from right across Northern Ireland will now go head to head to be named the toast of the trade at the top industry Awards next month.

Winners of the 13 Awards will be revealed at a special gala awards night hosted by U105 presenter, Frank Mitchell, at the Ramada Plaza on Wednesday 16th November 2016.

In recognition of the ever widening scope of the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland, a total of 13 Awards are up for grabs, each designed to highlight the very best that the sector has to offer.

New for 2016, Hospitality Ulster has introduced a Food & Beverage Manager of the Year Award which is open to entrants from pubs, restaurants and hotels.

Three individual Pub of the Year Awards will recognise the best pubs and bars in rural, urban and city locations across Northern Ireland and this year’s Awards will once again recognise the growing importance of locally sourced food, through three Commitment to Local Food Awards for pubs, restaurants and hotels (in partnership with Food NI).

A Commitment to the Community Award will recognise the immense contribution hospitality businesses make within their local communities and in the Hotel Bar of the Year category, there will be two Awards: Hotel Bar of the Year (1* – 3*) and Hotel Bar of the Year (4* – 5*).

One Award category invited nominations from the general public, with the public nominating their favourite barperson through The Sunday Life, which is joining forces with Hospitality Ulster once again to search for Northern Ireland’s Barperson of the Year.

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The Awards will also recognise the industry’s rising stars and those that have played a vital role in shaping the sector with two new Awards: Hospitality Ulster’s Rising Star (in partnership with Ulster University) and the Industry Legend Award (in partnership with Hospitality Review), the winners of which will be announced at the Gala Awards night next month.

The full shortlist for Hospitality Ulster’s Pub of the Year Awards 2016 is as follows:

Pub of the Year (Urban)
Front Page Bar, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
Kiwi’s Brew Bar, Portrush, Co. Antrim
Shenanigans Venue, Portstewart, Co. Derry~Londonderry
The Hole in the Wall Bar, Armagh, Co. Armagh
The Taphouse, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh

Pub of the Year (Rural)
Matties Meeting House, Cairncastle, Larne, Co. Antrim
The Corner House Bar, Lurgan, Co. Armagh
The Lobster Pot Bar/Restaurant, Strangford, Co. Down
The Riverside Bar, Garrison, Co. Fermanagh
The Speckled Hen, Lisburn, Co. Antrim

Pub of the Year (City)
Ryan’s Bar and Restaurant, Belfast, Co. Antrim
The National & Sixty6, Belfast, Co. Antrim
The Perch, Belfast, Co. Antrim
The River Inn, Shipquay St, Derry~Londonderry
White’s Tavern, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Hotel Bar of the Year 1*-3*
Adair Arms Hotel, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
Armagh City Hotel, Armagh, Co. Armagh
Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim, Co. Antrim
Ivanhoe Inn & Hotel, Carryduff, Co. Down

Hotel Bar of the Year 4*-5*
Canal Court Hotel & Spa, Newry, Co. Down
Galgorm Resort & Spa, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
Hastings Everglades Hotel, Derry~Londonderry
Malmaison, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Commitment to the Community
Bushmills Inn Hotel, Bushmills, Co. Antrim
Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim, Co. Antrim
Front Page Bar, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
The Hatfield House, Belfast, Co. Antrim
The Hillside, Hillsborough, Co. Down

Commitment to Local Food (Restaurant) in partnership with Food NI/Taste of Ulster
Native by Yellow Door, MAC, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Ocho Tapas Bistro, Portrush, Co. Antrim
Pier 59, Strand Rd, Derry, Derry~Londonderry
The Hillside, Hillsborough, Co. Down
The Yellow Heifer, Camlough, Co. Down

Commitment to Local Food (Pub) in partnership with Food NI/Taste of Ulster
Friel’s Bar and Restaurant, Swatragh, Maghera, Co. Derry~Londonderry
The Corner House Bar, Lurgan, Co. Armagh
The Morning Star, Belfast, Co. Antrim
The Parlour Bar, Newtownards, Co. Down
The Taphouse, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh

Commitment to Local Food (Hotel) in partnership with Food NI/Taste of Ulster
Bushmills Inn Hotel, Bushmills, Co. Antrim
Canal Court Hotel & Spa, Newry, Co. Down
Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim, Co. Antrim
Slieve Donard Resort & Spa, Newcastle, Co. Down

Food and Beverage Manger of the Year
Anna Marie Mc Ferran, The Old Thatch Inn, Magherafelt, Co. Derry~Londonderry
Breandán Kerr, Ivanhoe Inn and Hotel, Carryduff, Co. Down
Chris Bell, Shenanigans Venue, Portstewart, Co. Derry~Londonderry
Morgan Watson, Horatio Todd’s, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Barperson of the Year (in association with Sunday Life)
Feargal Shannon, Crowes Nest, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh
Melony Connor, Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Paul Rocks, Aether & Echo, Belfast, Co. Antrim
Sarah Hamilton Front Page Bar, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
Sinead Keenan Dan’s Bar & Off Sales (The Orient Bar), Belfast, Co. Antrim
Tim Mcllreavy, Kiwi’s Brew Bar, Portrush, Co. Antrim

Hospitality Ulster Rising Star (in partnership with Ulster University)
To be announced on the night

Industry Legend (in partnership with Hospitality Review NI)
To be announced on the night
All shortlisted entrants have been vetted and judged by an independent judging panel comprised of industry experts and will now be mystery shopped to ensure they meet industry standards and best practice guidelines.

Commenting on the announcement of the shortlist, Olga Walls, Chair of Hospitality Ulster said: “These Awards provide a valuable opportunity to recognise the significant contribution Northern Ireland’s hospitality venues make, not only within their own communities, but to the hospitality sector as a whole.

“We have fantastic, world class hospitality venues on our doorstep and Hospitality Ulster is proud to recognise and reward those businesses that are setting industry standards with their customer offering, service and innovations.

“The competition for this year’s Awards is very high, which is a real indication of the standards being set across the sector. I would like to congratulate all of the shortlisted individuals, pubs, restaurants and hotels and wish them the very best of luck at next month’s Pub of the Year Awards.”

The Pub of the Year Awards moves to a new venue for 2016. On Wednesday 16th November, hundreds of publicans and restaurateurs from across Northern Ireland will gather in the Ramada Plaza at Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast to toast Northern Ireland’s hospitality industry.

The Pub of the Year Awards are the only industry recognised awards. This year’s Awards are supported by Britvic, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Dillon Bass, Drinks Inc., Henderson Foods, Molson Coors, Richmond Marketing, Tennent’s NI, United Wine Merchants, and media partners, Sunday Life, Hospitality Review NI and U105.

For further information about the Pub of the Year Awards, visit www.nipuboftheyear.org

Keep up to date with all the Pub of the Year Awards 2016 news on the Hospitality Ulster Twitter @HospUlster and Facebook using the hashtag, #NIPubAwards.