Edinburgh pubs: James Corden presents founders of 'legendary' Edinburgh bar with top award

Mike Aikman and Jason Scott, founders of Bramble on Queen Street, took the Industry Achievement Award at the Scottish Licensed Trade News (SLTN) Awards.

The annual event celebrates the best in the business from local venues and bar staff to national operators. And this year’s ceremony saw coveted corkscrew trophies presented to Scotland’s top pubs, bars, restaurants, staff and operators across 20 categories.

Held in the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow on November 7, the evening saw comedian and TV star James Corden presenting the awards.

Aikman and Jason Scott founded Bramble in 2006. The legendary basement venue has won countless awards over the years and is widely considered to be among the very best bars in the world. The entrepreneurial pair followed Bramble's success with the opening of two more bars in the Capital: The Last Word in Stockbridge and Lucky Liquor.

Other local winners on the night included Edinburgh chef Dean Banks, who won the SLTN Entrepreneur Award, Teuchters Landing in Leith, which claimed the Best Outdoor Area prize, and George Street venue The Dome, which was named Restaurant of the Year (Casual Dining).

Tipsy Midgie, a small bar at St Leonards Hill in the Capital, was named as Scotland's Whisky Bar of the Year 2024.

In a post on Facebook following the awards, its owners wrote: “We were so excited to achieve another award on Thursday Night...we won Whisky Bar of the Year 2024 at the Scottish Licensed Trade News Awards.

“Would like to give massive thanks to all our guests in the last year who have helped and supported us and our whisky family who, without their continued enthusiasm, we wouldn't exist.”

Speaking about the awards, SLTN print editor Dave Hunter said: “Even as operators across Scotland struggle with all manner of challenges, there’s never been a better time to visit the country’s outstanding pubs, bars and restaurants.

“The standard of hospitality here is second to none, and it’s a privilege for the team at SLTN to help showcase some of the very best our country has to offer.”

SLTN digital editor, Gordon Davidson, added: “Every year the SLTN Awards gives us the opportunity to celebrate the quality and commitment of Scotland’s licensed trade, and as we travelled the highways and byways again this summer, visiting venues across the country, it was clear that they’ve never been more determined to provide the highest standards.

“We’d like to congratulate all our winners and highly commended finalists. They didn’t make it easy on us this year and sometimes the difference between the winners and runners-up came down to the slimmest of margins. Everyone that was shortlisted should be proud to call themselves the best that Scottish hospitality has to offer.”