The Tamworth Tap in Staffordshire has been crowned Great British Pub of the Year 2026 in awards organised by trade publication The Morning Advertiser. Landlord George Greenaway, who started the pub with wife Louise, said: “It is the Oscars for the industry, so we are over the moon.”
Growing list of accolades
The pub, which only opened in 2017 in a former shop in the shadow of the town’s castle, has also won the Campaign for Real Ale’s National Pub of the Year for a record third time - and is in the running again this year. The vibrant microbrewery taphouse was also named this year’s Best Beer Pub.
Judges praised its range of 12 cask ales, 20 keg lines, a strong bottled and canned selection, plus a premium wine list. It was also singled out for hosting numerous community events, including a craft club and a men’s faith group.
Industry recognition
Ed Bedington, editor at The Morning Advertiser and head judge at the awards, now in its 27th year, said: “At a time when running a pub is more challenging than ever, it is hugely important that we celebrate the people and businesses continuing to invest, innovate and create places that matter to their customers and communities.”
The Tamworth Tap’s success is in sharp contrast to a crisis elsewhere in the sector, with soaring costs and changing customer habits fuelling thousands of pub closures over recent years. The Mirror has long championed the industry’s cause with its Your Pub Needs You campaign.
Landlord’s approach
Asked about his secret, Mr Greenaway said: “It’s about constantly developing. You can’t stand still or rest on your laurels. It is minute changes that make a huge difference overall.” Those changes include the layout, and making the interior feel nostalgic, even though it has been a pub for less than a decade. Its popularity is also built on word of mouth and glowing customer reviews.
Yet despite all its accolades, Mr Greenaway admits business is still a battle because of a wave of cost pressures. “It is something that needs to be addressed,” he told the Mirror. “We are fortunate but there are a lot of pubs that don’t have the same support. We are feeling the pinch as well.”
Cost pressures
Those cost pressures range from wages to higher gas and electricity prices, and now a spike in fuel for deliveries because of the fall-out from the Iran war. The business is also paying more for glass and recycling. “Profits are being eaten up by this stealth costs,” Mr Greenaway said, who called on Chancellor John Healey to prioritise a review of business rates in the Budget.
Full list of winners: Best Beer Pub and Overall Great British Beer Pub of the Year – The Tamworth Tap, Tamworth, Staffordshire; Best Community Pub – The Swan, Clewer, Windsor; Best Country Pub – The Red Lion, Cranford, Northamptonshire; Best Pub for Dogs – The Maltings, Old Hall, Warrington; Best Pub for Entertainment – Black Swan Public House and Theatre, North Walsham, Norfolk; Best Pub for Families – The Plough Prestbury, Cheltenham; Best Pub for Food – The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman’s Rest, Slaggyford, Northumberland; Best Inn – Sponsored by St Germain – The Lion Malpas, Cheshire; Best Pub Garden – Sponsored by Diageo – The Tichborne Arms, Alresford, Hampshire; Best Pub to Watch Sports – Sponsored by TNT Sports – GOAT, Nantwich, Cheshire; Best Town Pub – Dr Foster, The Docks, Gloucester; Admiral Taverns Pub of the Year – The Crown, Fordham, Cambridgeshire; Greene King Pub of the Year – The Old Ship Inn, Perth; Marston’s Pub of the Year – The Honey Bee, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire; Punch Pubs & Co Pub of the Year – The Rattlebone Inn, Sherston, Wiltshire; Stonegate Group Pub of the Year – The Cow Shed at the Ship Inn, Ospringe, Kent.
