2024 Winners

Many congratulations to all 2024 finalists and winners. Most categories are determined entirely by nominations and votes from the senior industry. The Rising Star, Sustainability Award and Diversity Leadership Programme categories are judged by specialist independent panels.

If you work in the UK eating and drinking out sector, this is YOUR awards. On behalf of the MCA team, it is an honour to host the most anticipated awards evening of the calendar year. Thank you to all who supported and attended.

Emerging Concept - F1 Arcade

This award celebrates a fledgling multi-site format the senior industry believes looks set to deliver sustainable success.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Brightside
  • Buns from Home
  • NQ64
  • Yolk
  • Pizza Punks
  • Noci

Award sponsor: Greene King

 

Best New Opening - The Devonshire, Soho

This award goes to a 2023 site opening which combines a great location with outstanding design and exceptional customer appeal.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Brightside, Exeter (Loungers)
  • Arcade Food Hall, Battersea
  • Masala Zone Piccadilly Circus
  • Manzi's, Soho (Wolseley Hospitality Group)
  • Sexy Fish, Manchester (Caprice Holdings)
  • Gaucho, Liverpool (Rare Restaurants)

Award sponsor: Chapman Ventilation

 

Best Pub/Bar Company - Loungers

This category recognises an outstanding multi-site pub company, greatly admired by the senior industry for its quality proposition, core focus on its people, and strong leadership

The finalists for this award included:
  • Fuller's
  • Heartwood Collection
  • Inception Group
  • Urban Pubs & Bars
  • Incipio Group
  • Inn Collection Group

Award sponsor: Aspall Cyder

 

Best Restaurant Company - Dishoom

This category recognises a standout multi-site restaurant group, with a demonstrable focus on its customers and staff, quality offering and strong leadership.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Caravan
  • Hawksmoor
  • Nando's
  • Pizza Pilgrims
  • Big Mamma Group
  • Wagamama

Award sponsor: Pearson Ham Group

 

Best Coffee Shop/Café Group - Gail's Bakery

Incorporating coffee shops, cafes, dessert parlours and dine-in bakeries, this award recognises companies have demonstrated resilience, growth and strong customer service.

The finalists for this award included:
  • 200 Degrees
  • Blank Street Coffee
  • WatchHouse
  • Caffè Nero
  • Black Sheep Coffee
  • Knoops
  • Pret A Manger

 

Best Concept - Albert's Schloss

This award recognises a sector leading concept which has made a significant impact over the past 12 months, combining an excellent consumer proposition and dynamic execution.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Lounge (part of Loungers)
  • Dishoom
  • Incipio Group
  • The Ivy
  • Turtle Bay
  • Arcade Food Hall

Award sponsor: Lumina Intelligence

 

Deal of the Year - Young's purchase of City Pub Group

This category recognises the best deal to have taken place over the last 12 months, delivering an opportunity for the new ownership to develop the business and maximise its potential.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Apollo's acquisition of TRG
  • Big Table Group's purchase of TRG's Leisure estate
  • Toridoll/Capdesia acquisition of Fulham Shore
  • McWin's acquisition of Big Mamma Group
  • TriSpan's investment into Mowgli
  • Calveton and Breal Capital purchase of D&D London

Award sponsor: Alix Partners

 

Best QSR Company - Five Guys

Recognising the impressive resilience of quick-service restaurants in the UK, this award goes to a brand that has demonstrated strong growth, contemporary execution and exceptional customer value.

The finalists for this award included:
  • GDK
  • Popeyes UK
  • Wingstop
  • LEON
  • Burger King
  • Greggs
  • itsu

Award sponsor: Venners

 

Best Omnichannel Brand - Nando's

This award is for the brand which has found new customers and driven loyalty beyond its core sales channel by adopting an omnichannel strategy. Nominations for this category are via the MCA team, with the senior industry to decide the winner.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Greggs - for its aggressive expansion across multiple channels
  • itsu - for its sector-leading grocery business
  • LEON - for impactful retail innovation and travel hub growth
  • PizzaExpress - for its revamped supermarket pizza range and loyalty app
  • Pret A Manger- for its ongoing repositioning outside of its core areas and evolution of Club Pret
  • Snowfox Group - for its continued rollout of sushi kiosks in supermarkets

Award sponsor: Vita Mojo

 

Leader of The Year - Paula Mackenzie, CEO, PizzaExpress

This award recognises the outstanding leader of the year, as decided by the MCA Hospitality Awards Academy, made up of senior UK operators, suppliers and MCA subscribers.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Alasdair Murdoch, Burger King
  • Ian Payne, Stonegate
  • Nick MacKenzie, Greene King
  • Sarah Willingham, Nightcap
  • Simon Emeny, Fuller's

Award sponsor: Uber Eats

 

Diversity Leadership Programme - Moto Hospitality

This award recognises the business which has done the most to demonstrate its commitment to promoting and supporting employees from under-represented and minority backgrounds on their journey from the front line to the boardroom.

Highly commended:
  • Greene King
The other finalists for this award included:
  • Arc Inspirations
  • Caravan
  • Chopstix
  • Rare Restaurants (Gaucho and M)

Award sponsor: MCA

 

Rising Star - Sean Weeraratna, Operations Director, Gaucho

This award goes to an outstanding individual in a multi-site management team (e.g., an HR, FD, operations/site manager) who is rising through the ranks and is a star of the business.

The finalists for this award included:
  • Amy Primrose, Resourcing Manager, Moto Hospitality Ltd
  • Fernanda Dias Antonio, Head of People and Culture, Caravan
  • Inga Gruoda, Senior Operator, Pret A Manger
  • Louisa Richards, London Restaurant Director, Hawksmoor
  • Mel Harrison, Director of Operations, McDonald's UK

Award sponsor: Red Bull

 

Sustainability Award - Greene King

This award goes to a company or brand that has gone above and beyond in demonstrating its commitment to reducing its impact on the environment.

Highly commended:
  • Heart with Smart
The other finalists for this award included:
  • All Bar One
  • Drake & Morgan
  • Gail's Bakery
  • Punch Pubs & Co

Award sponsor: Pernod Ricard

 

Editor's choice: Lifetime Achievement Award - David Page, Founder and Former Chairman, Fulham Shore

Decided by MCA’s editor, this award recognises the exceptional achievements and impact an individual has had on the sector over multiple decades.

Award sponsor: Brakes/Sysco

 

Testimonials

"One of the best events on the calendar"

Glyn House Managing Director Caffè Nero

"The evening brings together the finest operators in the leisure and hospitality sector and is a true celebration of excellence”

Mark Derry Chief Executive Brasserie Bar Co

"It's the night in the annual calendar that you definitely get in the diary"

Simon Potts The Alchemist

‘It’s the highlight of the calendar, often referred to as the hospitality version of the Oscars

Alex Reilley chairman Loungers

Hugely validating… the cherry on the top to a great evening

Jess Campbell, head of brand, Dishoom head of brand Dishoom

We’re thrilled to be voted for by our peers, it really gives us the confidence that we’re doing the right thing

Karl Boyce, Director of Digital, McDonald’s director of digital McDonald’s

Amazing…it’s such a great award to win… most importantly, our teams are gonna love it, right’?

Laura Harper Hinton and Miles Kirby co-founders Caravan

Winning gives us the impetus to just go even bigger and better

Louise Hughes people director Moto

The recognition of industry peers is the most special part.

Neil McLeod co-owner Albert’s Schloss

This is where we meet our peers and legends of the industry. To be recognised in this room is pretty cool

Oisin Rogers, co-founder, The Devonshire co-founder The Devonshire

The highest accolade you can get

Ollie Raison, co-founder, F1 Arcade co-founder F1 Arcade

This is everything we’ve dreamed of

Sarah McDermott marketing director BrewDog Bars