Fuller, Smith & Turner P.L.C., the London brewer and premium pub company, is delighted to reveal that the winner of its annual Pub of the Year competition, The Griffin Trophy, is The Rising Sun, Milland, Hampshire. The pub, run by Ben Burston since February 2007, won the top prize ahead of 391 other Fuller’s pubs for being the epitome of a truly great pub.
The result was announced at a ceremony held in the Board Room at the Company’s world-famous Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, West London on Tuesday, November 3, 2015. The pub also took top prize in the Best Country/Village Pub category.
The Griffin Trophy awards recognise the efforts and achievements of the Company’s top managers and tenants in five categories: Outstanding Achievement, Best City/London Pub, Best Hotel/Inn, Best Town/Local Pub and Best Country/Village Pub.
Fuller’s Chairman, Michael Turner, said: “I am delighted to be presenting the Griffin Trophy to Ben and the team at The Rising Sun.
“Ben is no stranger to The Griffin Trophy competition, having won his category last year. He has built on last year’s success, taking the pub from strength to strength. The Rising Sun is a true village local in the heart of the South Downs National Park countryside. It is renowned for its exceptional atmosphere, great food, well-kept ales, and charming staff.
Ben Burston, licensee of The Rising Sun, said: “This is a fantastic surprise. A pub is nothing without its people so I would like to thank all my customers who have supported the pub over the years and my wonderful staff, who make the pub what it is.”
The prize for the winning pub comprises a £5,000 holiday, a staff party, an engraved plaque and the coveted Griffin Trophy itself.
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For further information please contact the press office:
Georgina Wald 020 8996 2198 georgina.wald@fullers.co.uk
Joanne Steward 020 8996 2135 joanne.steward@fullers.co.uk
Picture captions:
Tenant of The Rising Sun, Ben Burston, receives The Griffin Trophy for Fuller’s Pub of the Year from Fuller’s Chairman, Michael Turner. From left to right: Simon Thornton (Business Development Manager), Dan Gibb (Manager of The Rising Sun), Ben Burston (Tenant of The Rising Sun) and Michael Turner (Chairman of Fuller, Smith and Turner PLC).
Notes to Editor
The Griffin Trophy Winner 2015
The Rising Sun, Iping Road, Milland, Liphook, Hampshire GU30 7NA
Outstanding Achievement category
Winner: The Distillers, 64 Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 9PH
Runner-up: The Royal Oak, 128 Worton Road, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 6EP
Runner-up: The Frog and Wicket, The Green, Eversley Cross, Hants, Hook RG27 0NS
Best City/London Pub category
Winner: The Tokenhouse, 4 Moorgate, London EC2R 6DA
Runner-up: The Admiralty, 66 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DS
Best Town/Local Pub category
Winner: The Three Horseshoes, Shepperton Road, Staines, Surrey TW18 1SE
Runner-up: The Paper Mill, Stationers Place, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP3 9RH
Runner-up: The Griffin, Brook Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 0NP
Best Country/Village Pub category
Winner: The Rising Sun, Iping Road, Liphook, Hampshire, GU30 7NA
Runner-up: The Grove Lock, Grove, Leighton Buzzard, Bedford LU7 0QU
Best Hotel/Inn category
Winner: The White Buck Inn, Bisterne Close, Hampshire, Burley BH24 4AZ
Runner-up: The Princess Royal, Guildford Road, Runfold, Farnham, Surrey GU10 1NX
Fuller, Smith and Turner P.L.C. is an independent traditional family brewer founded in 1845 and is based at the historic Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, London, where brewing has taken place continuously since 1654. The Company runs 188 Managed Pubs and Hotels and 203 Tenanted pubs, with a focus on outstanding cask ale, great wine, exemplary service and delicious fresh, home-cooked food. The Company also has 651 boutique bedrooms in its Managed estate and owns a 51% share of The Stable, a craft cider and pizza restaurant business with nine sites. Fuller’s pub estate stretches from Brighton to Birmingham and from Portishead to the Greenwich Peninsula, including 171 locations within the M25.
The Fuller’s Beer Company brews a portfolio of premium beers including London Pride, ESB, Organic Honey Dew and Frontier Craft Lager. In June 2013, the Company acquired Cornish Orchards, a craft cider maker producing a range of award-winning ciders and premium soft drinks. Fuller’s is also the UK distributor for Sierra Nevada, the premier US craft beer.