The Merchant on West Great George Street in Glasgow has been named the best pub in the city in the National Pub & Bar Awards, putting it in the running to win the title of National Pub & Bar of the Year!

As one of 94 county winners throughout the UK, the Merchant will automatically go through to the next stage of the competition, when 15 regional winners, and the winner of the highly coveted title of ‘National Pub & Bar of the Year 2019’, will be announced. The awards will be presented by journalist and food critic, Jay Rayner, at the Grand Final which takes place on Wednesday 22nd May at BAFTA in London.

A stunning Georgian building with a traditional interior, The Merchant is a listed pub in the heart of the city, known for its warm welcome and personal touch. Within easy walking distance of all major travel links, yet away from the hustle and bustle of the main thoroughfare, the pub offers the perfect place to relax after shopping in the nearby Style Mile. At weekends it goes up-tempo, offering VIP party packages to cater for all occasions. The pub is also well known for showing live sports and during big matches, it offers sports table service so customers don’t miss any of the action by having to queue at the bar.

The Merchant offers craft lager as well as a wide range of premium lagers, ciders, and beer. Four cask ale taps usually feature local Scottish ales on rotation such as Born in the Borders or Strathaven. The pub also has an enormous range of spirits including over 20 different gins and whiskys and a good selection of vodka, rum and liqueurs. Food-wise, there is something for everyone, with a range of pub classics, as well as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes.

General Manager of the Merchant, Jamie Marshall, said: “I am over the moon to have made it to this stage in the competition! To be named as the best pub or bar in the city of Glasgow is a huge honour and one the team and I are incredibly proud of. We would love to get through to the next stage of the competition and win the title of Best Pub or Bar in Scotland, but the icing on the cake would be to bring the Overall Winner’s trophy back to Glasgow and put the Merchant on the map as the best pub in the UK!”