Waterside gastropub Dr Foster at Gloucester Docks has been named Britain's Best Town Pub in the Great British Pub Awards 2026.
The pub at Kimberley Warehouse, which reopened in 2024 after a £450,000 redevelopment by Herefordshire-based chef-led group ART Hospitality, has built a reputation for providing a welcoming atmosphere and classic pub food like steaks cooked over coals and Sunday roasts, as well as its picturesque waterfront location overlooking the main basin.
It scooped the national award in recognition of its exceptional food and drink offering, guest experience, commitment to staff development and its impact on the wider community.
ART Hospitality founder, Dorian Kirk, said: 'This is an absolutely incredible achievement for everyone involved with Dr Foster. When we took on the pub two years ago, we saw a huge opportunity to bring a beautiful historic building back to life and create something Gloucester could be genuinely proud of.
'We invested around £450,000 into reopening it, but the real challenge was rebuilding the business and creating a place that people wanted to visit time and time again. It certainly hasn't been easy. Hospitality is facing some of the toughest trading conditions we've experienced, and turning around a business like this takes an enormous amount of determination, belief and hard work.
'To go from a closed pub to being recognised as the Best Town Pub in Britain in just two years is extraordinary. But the biggest credit goes to our team. They're the people delivering the experience every single day, and this award belongs to them and to the Gloucester community who have supported us.'
The award completes a hat-trick of national accolades, following the pub being featured in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2026 and receiving recognition at the National Pub & Bar Awards 2026, too.
Fancy paying a visit to Britain's Best Town Pub? Dr Foster is open from 11am to 10.30pm Monday to Thursday, 11am to 12am Friday, 10am to 12am Saturday, and 10am to 8pm Sunday.
