The Flask in Highgate [77 West Hill, Highgate, London, N6 6BU], run by Grant Hawthorne, has been named the winner of the Best City/London Pub category in this year’s Griffin Trophy – the annual Pub of the Year competition from Fuller, Smith and Turner.
The Flask is a wonderful pub that sits in the heart of the Highgate Community and embodies all that is great about traditional British hospitality – a wonderful garden for the summer, a roaring fire in the winter, and a fantastic range of comforting dishes served with an exquisite twist and accompanied by great beers and outstanding wines. The pub is a Highgate institution and, with a number of high-profile celebrities among its regulars, it is as cool as its welcome is warm.
The Griffin Trophy is open to all Fuller’s 210 Managed Pubs and Hotels and 174 Tenanted Inns. Following an extensive selection process, the eight finalists of The Griffin Trophy were all visited by Chairman Michael Turner, Chief Executive Simon Emeny, and Marketing Director Jane Jones to choose the category and overall winners. Grant’s prize for winning the category comprises a £2,000 holiday voucher, a staff party, and an engraved plaque for the pub.
Michael Turner said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see The Flask pick up this trophy. Grant has spent much of his career with Fuller’s and he runs an exceptional pub, with a first-class team. He has had the same Head Chef, Shalom Retchpaul, for four years and they are a perfect partnership. The great rapport Grant has with his team has been invaluable during the past 20 months and he shows excellent leadership.
“Grant is always looking for ways to make The Flask even better – including how he can fit more covers into this very popular North London pub. He’s a real inspiration and his win is very well deserved.”
Grant Hawthorne said: “I’m absolutely delighted. It’s been an awful couple of years to be in hospitality, but we are back open, our customers are delighted to see us and this is just a great early Christmas present. Fuller’s is famous for its London pubs, so this really is a great achievement and I couldn’t be prouder. I work hard with my team to make sure that everyone who comes to The Flask has a great time – whether they are the local postie or an A-list celebrity – it’s a pub for all and I can’t wait to take it on to the next chapter in its very long history.”
The Griffin Trophy recognises the efforts and achievements of the Company’s top Managers and Tenants in four categories: Best City/London Pub, Best Hotel/Inn, Best Town/Local Pub and Best Country/Village Pub. The results were announced at a ceremony held at The Counting House on Cornhill, in the City of London, on Thursday 1 December 2021.
