Kingston Upon Thames landlord wins national pub award

A landlord from Kingston Upon Thames who’s pub has become Surrey’s leading alternative music venue is being recognised by pub company Admiral Taverns.

Jamie O’Grady of The Fighting Cocks on Old London Road, has been chosen from over 2,000 landlords nationwide to receive an Admiral Taverns Achievement Award.

Jamie, who also runs a successful bar and grill and tattoo studio, has been at the Fighting Cocks for 11 years.

Jamie said: “I used to be a regular customer at the pub and when it became available I jumped at the chance to take it on.

“There’s been a pub on this site for over two centuries and, while we wanted to embrace its musical history, we also wanted to bring it bang up to date by showcasing new and original talent.”

The pub puts on a variety of Indie Rock and Hardcore shows, and has hosted performances from acts such as New Found Glory, H2O, Against Me, Gallows and The King Blues. The pub also holds a comedy night every Monday that has seen performances from the likes of Russell Brand, Lenny Henry and even Robin Williams.

Customers can also enjoy free Guitar Hero at the bar, try their luck on the leopard print pool table and try out the ‘Rock Box’ jukebox that’s jam packed with 10,000 hand picked tunes.

Jamie continued: “I’m lucky enough to have a fantastic team here, including our general manager Josh Retallick and assistant manager Zac Burton, and it’s the dedication of our staff plus the loyalty of our customers that has got us here.

“We’re all extremely proud of the pub and are really pleased to have received this award.”

Admiral Taverns – the UK’s largest independent operator of tenanted and leased pubs – introduced Achievement Awards to help recognise landlords like Jamie who have shown best practice and made a positive impact on their pub and their community.

Ged Macken, business development manager for Admiral Taverns, said: “Jamie and his team are fantastic role models for anyone who’s ever wanted to run a pub. Their hard work and commitment to new music has established The Fighting Cocks as a hub of the alternative music community and they should be very pleased with their achievements.

“We are always on the look out for people who have the personality and drive to run a successful pub and have a number of available venues in the area. To find out more, contact our recruitment team on 0845 070 8950 or visit www.admiraltaverns.co.uk.”

For more information on The Fighting Cocks, visit www.the-fighting-cocks.co.uk