Local favourite, The Woodman in Ruislip, has been shortlisted in the Great British Pub Awards’ ‘Best Pub Garden’ category, sponsored by Diageo.
Over past the nine years, under the direction of publican Steve Banks, The Woodman has transformed its garden space into an eco-friendly haven that is full of rustic charm. The beloved local pub has gardens that run around the front and sides of the building, and the outdoor bar features cladding made from repurposed timber. Much of the garden has been crafted from scaffold boards and used wood, including the pub’s outdoor seating and kitchen bar area.
The Woodman has a dedicated gardener who carefully curates and tends to the garden in the summer and winter to ensure the colourful hanging baskets, flowers and plants that adorn the garden bloom again year on year. One of the garden’s main attractions is the grapevine that customers are encouraged to pick grapes from, with any remaining fruit being turned into wine by a customer at the end of the season.
The pub also hosts events in its outdoor space, with live bands and a resident DJ keeping guests entertained in the summer months. The garden also features large TV screens to broadcast major sporting events which have become hugely popular with locals and visitors.
The Great British Pub Awards celebrate the crème de la crème of the pub industry, recognising unparalleled excellence in various categories. This year’s awards saw an overwhelming number of entries, with finalists chosen through a meticulous four-step judging process. This ensures that only the highest standard of pubs make the finals.
The Woodman is one of six exceptional Stonegate Group pubs that has reached the finals of the prestigious awards and with hundreds of pubs competing from all over the UK, making it to the finals is a testament to the outstanding quality and service Stonegate venues provide.
Publican Steve Banks commented: “It is a huge privilege to be named a finalist in the Great British Pub Awards! I’m so proud of my team, who work tirelessly to create exceptional experiences for our guests. A lot of love, effort and care has gone into creating our relaxing, colourful garden space that’s full of flowers and plants and to see it recognised in this way is so rewarding.”
The winners of the Great British Pub Awards will be unveiled on Tuesday 17th September at the Victoria Warehouse in Manchester. The event promises to be a glittering evening, celebrating the exceptional achievements of the very best in the pub industry.
The Woodman has also been shortlisted for ‘Stonegate Group Pub Partners Pub of the Year’ in the recognised awards.
For more information and to see the full list of finalists, click here.