Last night (May 21) was quite the night for Manchester as one cocktail bar flew the flag for the city by taking home a coveted award. Schofield’s Bar has been collecting numerous awards but now the drinking spot has been crowned the ‘Best Bar in the North’ at CLASS Bar Awards once again.
Racking up three CLASS Bar Awards nominations and winning one of those, Schofield’s Bar securing ‘Best Bar in the North’ for another year running, and it has previously won the ‘Bar of the Year’ award two years in a row. According to CLASS Bar, “Joe and Daniel Schofield’s bar combines the best of a hotel bar – classical drinks, décor and white-coated bartenders – with the informal vibes of an indie to create a timeless feel”.
Opening in spring 2021, Joe and Daniel Schofield’s debut bar set in Manchester’s Sunlight House has become “an instant classic”, winning plaudits across the UK as well as being named one of the best cocktail bars in the world. The owners of Schofield’s were also nominated for the award of ‘Bar Innovator of the Year’ as well as ‘Bar of the Year’ but unfortunately missed out on receiving the award to Satan’s Whiskers in London, who won it for the second time in a row. Schofield’s was just one of three Manchester bars to be nominated for the CLASS Bar Awards, alongside Speak in Code and Blinker, which saw the ‘Best Bar in the North’ category dominated by Manchester bars.
Despite missing out on the ‘Best Bar in the North’ award to Schofield’s at the CLASS Bar Awards, Manchester bar Blinker also went home with a prize – ‘Bar Employer of the Year’. Dan Berger’s bar was praised for putting “his team first, with 4-day working weeks, processes to ensure work-life balance and healthy living”, all contributing to a creatively happy, ambitious workforce with high levels of retention. Rory Carrodus of Blinker was also nominated for the ‘Emerging Bartender of the Year‘ award.
Meanwhile, more Manchester bars were recognised including Ego Death, which was nominated for the award of ‘New Bar of the Year’ but was beaten by Bar Glue in Liverpool, and Speak in Code, which was nominated for ‘Drinks Menu of the Year’.
Hamish Smith, editor of CLASS and co-host of the CLASS Bar Awards, said: “The UK bar industry has never been more multi-polar with its stars shining not only from London, but in the likes of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh.”
“This year, that felt especially true, with three-quarters of our winners coming from outside of the capital. Despite challenging conditions for trading, the bar industry still manages to put its best foot forward – showing what a positive impact warm, creative and engaging hospitality has on the UK.”
The full list of CLASS Bar Awards winners and finalists
Front of House Star of the Year sponsored by Savoia
Winner Keila Urzaiz de Calignon, Satan’s Whiskers, London
Andrea Gardiner, The American Bar at Gleneagles, Auchterarder
Kyriaki Dachtyloudi, The Spy Bar at Raffles London at The OWO, London
Liana Oster, Side Hustle, NoMad, London
Bar Innovator of the Year sponsored by Burnt Faith
Winner Iain McPherson, Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
Joe & Dan Schofield, Schofield’s Bar, Manchester
Matt Arnold & Eve Green, Passing Fancies, Birmingham
Monica Berg & Alex Kratena, Tayer + Elementary, London
Bar Manager of the Year sponsored by Italicus
Winner Michele Mariotti, The American Bar at Gleneagles, Auchterarder
Holly Law, The Cocktail Trading Co, London
Jacob Clarke, Couch, Birmingham
Nicky Craig, Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
Emerging Bartender sponsored by Monkey Shoulder
Winner Gracie Goggins, The Last Word, Edinburgh
Chloe Yeung, Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
Keoghan Taylor, Kiki Lounge, Douglas, Isle of Man
Rory Carrodus, Blinker, Manchester
Bartender of the Year sponsored by Funkin Cocktails
Winner Katie Rouse, Couch, Birmingham
Courtney Francis, Couch, Birmingham
Elyse Von Ruinn, The Gate, Glasgow
Nathan Price, Bar Glue, Liverpool
Sustainable Practices Award sponsored by Avallen
Winner Below Stairs, Leeds
Kiki Lounge, Douglas, Isle of Man
PAL Bar + Kitchen, Grimsby
Ugly Butterfly Bar, Cornwall
Bar Employer of the Year sponsored by The Lost Explorer Tequila
Winner Blinker, Manchester
Couch, Birmingham
Kiki Lounge, Douglas, Isle of Man
The American Bar, Gleneagles, Auchterarder
Cocktail of the Year sponsored by Bessou London
Winner Sazzaquack, Three Sheets Soho, London
Porridge Colada, Nauticus, Edinburgh
Viennetta, Couch, Birmingham
W.I.N.E, Bar Glue, Liverpool
Drinks Menu of the Year sponsored by Franklin & Sons
Winner Lyaness, Sea Containers, London
Couch, Birmingham
Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
Speak in Code, Manchester
Bar Food Menu of the Year sponsored by Mothaiba
Winner Passing Fancies, Birmingham
Kwãnt, London
Side Hustle, NoMad, London
Tayer + Elementary, London
Hotel Bar of the Year sponsored by The Lost Explorer Mezcal
Winner Connaught Bar, The Connaught, London
Lyaness, Sea Containers, London
Side Hustle, NoMad, London
The American Bar, Gleneagles, Auchterarder
New Bar of the Year sponsored by Takamaka
Winner Bar Glue, Liverpool
Archive & Myth, London
Ego Death, Manchester
Three Sheets Soho, London
Best Bar in Northern Ireland
Winner Rattlebag, Bullitt Hotel, Belfast
Berts Jazz Bar, The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
The Cocktail Bar, The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
The Garrick, Belfast
Best Bar in Wales sponsored by Porte Noire
Winner Lab 22, Cardiff
Dead Canary, Cardiff
Nightshade, Cardiff
Penny, Cardiff
Best Bar in the West
Winner Filthy XIII, Bristol
Golden Crane, Bristol
Hideout, Bath
Milk Thistle, Bristol
Best Bar in the Midlands & East Anglia
Winner Couch, Birmingham
Fox & Chance, Birmingham
Lucky 7, Birmingham
Passing Fancies, Birmingham
Best Bar in Scotland
Winner Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
Bramble, Edinburgh
Hey Palu, Edinburgh
Nauticus, Edinburgh
London & the South East sponsored by Porte Noire
Winner Satan’s Whiskers, London
Dram, London
Lyaness, Sea Containers, London
Three Sheets Soho, London
Best Bar in the North
Winner Schofield’s Bar, Manchester
Bar Glue, Liverpool
Blinker, Manchester
Speak in Code, Manchester
Bar of The Year sponsored by Savoia
Winner Satan’s Whiskers, London
Couch, Birmingham
Filthy XIII, Bristol
Lab 22, Cardiff
Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
Rattlebag, Belfast
Schofield’s Bar, Manchester
Outstanding Achievement sponsored by Small Beer Company
Winner Mike Aikman and Jason Scott of Bramble, The Last Word, Lucky Liquor and Mothership
