London brewer and pub retailer, Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC, has revealed that the winner of its coveted Pub of the Year competition, The Griffin Trophy, is The Parcel Yard, at Kings Cross, London. The result was announced at the company’s famous Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, where the station pub was also named Best City Pub.
The Griffin Trophy awards recognise the efforts and achievements of the Company’s top managers and licensees across four categories, Outstanding Achievement, Best City pub, Best Town/Local pub, and Best Country/Village pub.
The Parcel Yard
Presenting the historic trophy to the manager of The Parcel Yard, Nick Cameron, Fuller’s Chairman Michael Turner said: “I am delighted to be presenting the Griffin Trophy to Nick and the team at The Parcel Yard.
“Nick has done a great job running the station pub since it opened in March 2012. The Parcel Yard is Fuller’s largest pub, with a 10,000 square foot site overlooking the platforms in a Grade-I listed area of the original station building.
“The Parcel Yard is a modern station pub, but has retained some fantastic original features from its time as a parcel sorting office. A double-height atrium gives an airy feel to what was once storage for mail freight arriving through King’s Cross.
“The staff at the pub are very good ambassadors for the company, in this high-profile site with so many visitors. Although the pub is still very young, it has received countless accolades and plenty of publicity, including a royal visit from Prince Charles.”
The Parcel Yard scooped the top prize ahead of 383 other pubs located across much of the south of England.
The prize for the winning pub comprises a £5,000 holiday, a staff party, an engraved plaque and the coveted Griffin Trophy itself.
Full list of Griffin Trophy 2013 Winners
Griffin Trophy Winner 2013 (Best Overall Pub)
The Parcel Yard, London
Outstanding Achievement category
The Portland Arms, St Albans
Best City Pub category
Winner – The Parcel Yard, London
Runner-up – The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden
Best Country/Village Pub category
Winner – The Pointer Inn, Isle of Wight
Runner-up – The White Hart, Stockbridge
Best Town/Local Pub category
Winner – The Three Horseshoes, Laleham
Runner-up – The Queen’s Head, Farnham