The Dirty Duck in Holywood
A popular Co Down gastropub has won a prestigious pub and bar award calling the accolade a “fantastic honour”.
The Dirty Duck in Holywood came out on top in Northern Ireland among the regional winners of the 2024 National Pub & Bar Awards.
Each year the awards crown nearly one hundred county winners from across England, Wales and Scotland, as well as Northern Ireland.
The Dirty Duck – which boasts an extensive food and drink menu and stunning sea views of Belfast Lough – saw off competition from the other NI nominated establishments including Fermanagh’s Charlie’s Bar which went viral last December when it released a short online video via its social media accounts featuring an elderly widower making friends with a young couple in a bid to raise awareness for loneliness around the festive time.
Welcoming the award, the Dirty Duck posted online: “Thank you to The National Pub & Bar Awards for awarding us best pub in Northern Ireland.
“It’s a fantastic honour for us to win best pub in Northern Ireland. Our staff work tremendously hard to maintain our excellent reputation and our loyal customer base is what makes the Dirty Duck what it is.
“Thank you all.”
The overall winner of this year’s National Pub and Bar Awards was The George Inn in the Somerset village of Norton Saint Philip.
The George was also one of 13 pubs to be named as the best in its Region at the National Pub & Bar Awards, which brings together 94 pubs and bars from across the UK, each one having been awarded the title for the best in its county back in April.
From these County Winners, 13 Regional Winners were announced at 30 Euston Square in London, before The George was crowned National Pub & Bar of the Year.
The National Pub & Bar Awards, also handed out three other accolades on the evening. Pub Group of the Year went to Nottingham’s Castle Rock Brewery; Bar Group of the Year was awarded to The Blues Kitchen; and the inaugural Tyrrells Tyrrellbly Good Taste Award went to Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars’ Fitzherbert Arms.