It couldn’t be more apt as the capital reaches World Cup fever pitch, for the internationally renowned ‘Famous Three Kings’ in Fulham to get one step closer to scoring its own hat-trick as the UK’s (and for many the world’s) greatest sporting pub.

Already twice winners of the John Smith’s Great British Sports Pub Award in 2016 and 2017, it once again beat dozens of worthy entrants to earn a place on the shortlist for 2018, and if crowned champions a third time, will make it ‘refereed’ by the licensed trade as the UK’s most successful sports pub ever.

It’s a worthy recognition for the North End Road pub, an ambassador for sporting comradeship, friendly rivalry, and community, airing forty-nine sports across twenty-two screens in dozens of languages throughout the year.

“Connecting people through the love of sport is something we’re really proud of,” explains manager Paul Eastwood. “Our loyal followers have a huge respect for the pub whether it be Finnish ice hockey, Danish Handball, Welsh rugby or, of course, the England football team.”

It’s that which has enabled the pub to break through, uniting foreign fans as sponsors of what is believed to be the world’s first supporters’ football league; the biggest Italian, French, Portuguese, English and Scottish fan clubs battling it out on the pitch before toasting a pint together back in the bar.

Depicted by an array of national flags, the Famous Three Kings has an international following so the pub is as busy for a day of Finnish ice hockey as it is during a Champions League Cup final. It’s also a place where usually under-represented female sports are heavily supported, and where the mould has well and truly been broken on the stereotype of British sports.

Identified on sports channels and in social media across the globe as the place to watch their nation’s teams in London, there couldn’t be a better representative pub for the UK. Local MP Andy Slaughter endorsed its role in a recent visit, also encouraged by the pub’s charitable efforts to support ‘Disability Sports Coach’, helping people with disabilities to participate in sporting activities.

“We take our role seriously,” adds Paul. “We want to continue to be the beacon that the UK needs, uniting of people through a love of sport in a safe environment.”

Ed Bedington, organiser of the John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards, said: “These awards are the most rigorous of their kind for the pub sector and it’s a real achievement to make it this far into the competition.”

The judging process is three-rounds and includes a visit by the judges as part of the final process. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on September 6.

The Famous Three Kings is one of just six finalists in the John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards 2018’s ‘Best Sports Pub’ category.

Ends

Famous Three Kings, 171 North End Road, Fulham, London, W14 9NL T: 020 7603 6071

http://www.craft-pubs.co.uk/f3k-london

 

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