Rock and roll cocktail bar Kuckoo wins national award

A busy night in Kuckoo in Fox Street in Preston city centre

Kuckoo bar has won a national award for best late night operator – 14 years after Preston was the first in the mini-chain to open.

The rock and roll cocktail venue has scooped the prize at The Publican Awards 2024. The bar was victorious against tough competition from across the UK.

The awards ceremony was held in London where more than 1,500 industry professionals attended.

Richard Powell, owner and founder of Kuckoo said: “It feels absolutely amazing to win this award. Kuckoo has been my life’s work, and to be recognised on a national scale feels incredible, and every credit to all the Kuckoo team.”

He added: “We do things differently at Kuckoo, and that was recognised by the panel during the practical and interview stages. There was also a ‘mystery shopper’ element of the judging process, as well as a written submission.

“We are unique at Kuckoo and continuously play to our brand values, and I believe that is why we won. These awards aren’t based on votes, our business values and operations were put under the spotlight of industry experts.

“This win puts us on a national stage now, and we couldn’t be prouder.”

Ed Bedington, editor of The Morning Advertiser, which organises the awards, said: “These awards are the ones to win for all operators in the sector. The judging process is rigorous and fair and we put all our finalists through their paces before picking out our final winners.

“All of the companies shortlisted in the awards are outstanding businesses, so to come out ahead is a fantastic achievement and one to be proud of. It’s not an easy trading environment for the hospitality sector at the moment, but these companies are embracing those challenges and delivering incredible results in spite of the adversity they face, which is wonderful to see.”

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