Bavarian-inspired beer palace Albert’s Schloss triumphed at the MCA Hospitality Awards last night (14 March) with a second consecutive win for Best Concept.
The Manchester-founded Mission Mars-owned bar brand was one of several leading hospitality businesses celebrating after a glittering ceremony at The Guildhall.
The new name for the Retailer’s Retailer Awards, the MCA Hospitality Awards saw Indian-inspired restaurant group Dishoom scoop Best Restaurant Company, proving once again it remains the business to beat.
Gail’s Bakery, which has established itself as the go-to destination for artisan, sourdough treats, won Best Coffee Shop / Café Group.
Emerging Concept went to F1 Arcade, the experimental racing simulation concept founded by entrepreneur Adam Breeden, who has plans to grow the business to 30 sites worldwide.
Loungers continued its unstoppable march across the UK with a well-deserved and long overdue win for Best Pub/Bar Company.
Best QSR Company was a new category for 2024, and with a highly competitive field, Five Guys saw off its rivals with its fresh, fast and friendly offering, and impressive growth in prime locations.
Celebrating businesses which have diversified their sales channels, Best Omnichannel Brand want to Nando’s. The UK’s biggest restaurant chain has shaken up its dine in model, reaching customers via delivery, a loyalty app, an iconic retail range and innovative brand marketing campaigns.
In a special judged category, supported by Net Zero Now and the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Greene King was recognised for its impressive cultural transformation journey with the Sustainability Award. The pub company has launched a groundbreaking carbon reduction trial and committed to investing tens of millions of pounds in environmental initiatives.
Diversity Leadership Programme, celebrating the business which have done the most to promote under-represented and minority background employees from the front line to the boardroom, went to Moto Hospitality. Judging for this award was supported by Holly Addison of Leathwaite, Krishnan Doyle of Core Recruitment, and author, broadcaster and inclusive leadership expert Rene Carayol.
In a third special judged category, supported by Kate Nicholls and Peter Martin, Sean Weeraratna, operations director at Gaucho, won the Rising Star award. He was hailed for his meteoric rise through the ranks at Gaucho, impressing judges with his positive site-level impact at the business, and his charity and community activities.
For Deal of the Year there were several big transactions to choose from, but Young’s acquisition of City Pub Group was an encouraging success story for the pub sector, which gives the buyer further national reach, and marks a third big career exit for Clive Watson.
Leader of the year went to Pizza Express CEO Paula Mackenzie. Joining the pizza powerhouse in June 2022, she has spearheaded a revival of the brand on the high street, a restaurant refresh, and a relaunch of its retail range.
Pizza Express alumni David Page won Lifetime Achievement. An early franchise owner at the casual dining chain in the 1980s, he led its expansion of the group growing it to hundreds of restaurants. He went on to invest and help grow several successful businesses, including Gourmet Burger Kitchen and more recently sourdough pizza pioneer Franco Manca. Growing the brand to more than 70 sites, last year he sold the company for £93m in another successful exit.
MCA editor Finn Scott-Delany said: “It was a great honour and pleasure to be able to host and celebrate with the very best businesses, brands, leaders and teams from the hospitality sector last night.
“After 25 years it remains the essential leaders’ event in the industry calendar, which our highly impressive guestlist of VIPs and sector stars is a testament to.
“The last few years have not been easy by any stretch of the imagination. But these awards prove once again that despite the challenges, the sector remains as vibrant and dynamic as ever, from coffee shops, to pubs and bars, to restaurants and QSR.
“On behalf of the team at MCA, a huge congratulations to all our winners, and a wholesome thank you to our sponsors.”
The awards are sponsored by AlixPartners, Aspall Cyder, Brakes, Chapman Ventilation, Greene King, Lumina Intelligence, Pearson Ham Group, Pernod Ricard, Red Bull, Uber Eats, Venners and Vita Mojo.
Nominations and winners are voted for by MCA’s contact database of leaders, subscribers, registered users and suppliers.
Three special judged categories - Rising Star, Sustainability, and Diversity Leadership Programme – are self-nominated and decided by a specialist judging panel.
Lifetime Achievement is chosen by MCA’s editor.
MCA HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2024 – WINNERS
Emerging Concept
This award celebrates a fledgling multi-site format the senior industry believes looks set to deliver sustainable success.
Winner: F1 Arcade
Award sponsor: Greene King
Best New Opening
This award goes to a 2023 site opening which combines a great location with outstanding design and exceptional customer appeal.
Winner: The Devonshire
Award sponsor: Chapman Ventilation
Best Pub/Bar Company
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
Winner: Loungers
Award sponsor: Aspall Cyder
Best Restaurant Company
This category recognises a standout multi-site restaurant group, with a demonstrable focus on its customers and staff, quality offering and strong leadership.
Winner: Dishoom
Sponsor: Pearson Ham Group.
Best Coffee Shop/Café Group
Incorporating coffee shops, cafes, dessert parlours and dine-in bakeries, this award recognises companies have demonstrated resilience, growth and strong customer service.
Winner: Gail’s Bakery
Best Concept
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.
Winner: Albert’s Schloss
Sponsor: Lumina Intelligence
Deal of the Year
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.
Winner: Young’s acquisition of City Pub Group
Award sponsor: Alix Partners
Best QSR Company
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.
Winner: Five Guys
Sponsor: Venners
Best Omnichannel Brand
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.
Winner: Nando’s - for the enduring strength of its retail range, innovative multichannel marketing strategy, and digital proposition
Award sponsor: Vita Mojo
Rising Star
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.
Winner: Sean Weeraratna, director of operations, Rare Restaurants
Award sponsor: Red Bull
Diversity Leadership Programme
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.
Winner: Moto Hospitality
Highly commended: Greene King
Sponsor: MCA
Sustainability Award
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.
Winner: Greene King
Highly commended: Heart with Smart
Award sponsor: Pernod Ricard
Leader of The Year
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.
Winner: Paula Mackenzie, PizzaExpress
Award sponsor: Uber Eats
Lifetime Achievement
Chosen by MCA’s editor, this award recognises the exceptional achievements and impact an individual has had on the sector over multiple decades.
Winner: David Page, founder of Fulham Shore
