Brewhouse & Kitchen named Pub Brand of the Year at awards

Pub and Bar Magazine recognised Brewhouse & Kitchen with the accolade in its annual awards list, beating tough competition from across the country.

Founded by Bournemouth-based chief executive Kris Gumbrell, Brewhouse has 23 sites in the UK including those in The Triangle, Southbourne and Poole.

It is also hoped a 24th site will open soon in the east of England.

Brewhouse and Kitchen’s chief executive, Kris Gumbrell. (Image: Brewhouse & Kitchen)

Having been recognised as running the best branded boozers, Kris told the Echo the accolade highlights the “uniqueness” of what Brewhouse offers its customers.

He said: “We’re delighted, absolutely delighted. It’s a really big step forward after nine years of hard work from the whole business.

“Of course it has not been without challenges, at a time when all costs are under pressure and having had the two years of Covid where we were able to keep our head above water. So after all that it’s nice to be rewarded and recognised for how hard everyone works – as well as support from our guests.

“The nice thing about this award was that we didn’t have to apply to be considered, we just got a call from the magazine asking us to attend because we had been picked. They picked based on mystery guest experiences, social media presence, marketing and all that. I suppose we’re doing something right.

Brewhouse & Kitchen in Poole

As well as providing food and drink, Brewhouse offers brewery experience days, tasting masterclasses, and even workspaces.

Having celebrated the award win, Kris insisted he and his workforce would “just keep doing what we’re doing” and that they would never “rest on [their] laurels”.

When asked why he thought Brewhouse won the best brand award, he said: “I think it’s just the uniqueness of what we do as there really is nobody else out there who does what we do – that’s our biggest strength.”

Brewhouse is no stranger to awards. It previously won Best Pub Employer at the 2021 Publican Awards after an internal survey saw 97 per cent of staff give it the highest possible rating for the way it has supported them during the pandemic.

Visit brewhouseandkitchen.com for more information.