THREE licensed premises held on to hard-won accolades in the 2019 Woking Best Bar None awards, with a newcomer taking two of the prizes.

The Overall Best Bar None Award went to Cellar Magneval wine bar, which also retained the Best Bar Award it gained in 2018.

For the third year running, The Sovereigns was voted Best Town Centre Pub.

The Garibaldi in Knaphill was pipped to the overall award, but it retained the two others it won in 2018 – Best Local Pub and the Asahi UK Social Responsibility Award.

Chennai Dosa Artisanz Asian restaurant, recognised for the first time in Best Bar None, won the Best Dining Experience Award and the Woking News & Mail People's Choice Award.

The winners received their plaques at a dinner and ceremony on Tuesday evening last week which celebrated Woking’s outstanding pubs, bars and restaurants. It was the second year of the awards in their current form, following a relaunch in 2018.

Supported by the Home Office and the drinks industry, the Best Bar None scheme promotes the responsible management and operation of licensed premises and develops positive partnerships between the police, local authorities and the licensed trade.

Licensed premises that enter the scheme are assessed against strict criteria to become Best Bar None Gold, Silver, or Bronze accredited.

Gold accredited venues are entered for the annual awards and are further assessed by a team of judges. Their marks are combined with a mystery shopping score, with the highest-scoring in each category winning the award.

All pubs, bars and restaurants which are licensed by Woking Borough Council can enter. For further information, email [email protected], call 01483 743487 or visit www.wokingbbn.co.uk.

For the full story and special picture feature, get the 23 January edition of the News & Mail