It’s been a great year for The Four Marys in Linlithgow so far, with awards aplenty!

The popular bar and eaterie in the town’s High Street has secured the Forth Valley CAMRA Pub of the Year for the second year in a row.

Manager Ian Riddle was over the moon when it also secured the very first Forth Valley CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year, thanks to promoting the sales of “Real Cider”.

The Four Marys is now being judged for the overall Scottish title, judging for which is ongoing.

Team leader Iskander Turan, Ian Riddle, assistant manager Nikki McLintock and team leader Catherine Bain with awards.

placeholder image — Team leader Iskander Turan, Ian Riddle, assistant manager Nikki McLintock and team leader Catherine Bain with awards.

In the Scottish Entertainment and Hospitality awards, The Four Marys has also reached the finals of the Pub of the Year and Best Team. The awards night is in Glasgow’s Double Tree Hilton on May 1 – and the team are keeping everything crossed.

This week, the venue, owned by Greene King, was singled out once again; it is one of 256 pubs in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland that has been shortlisted for a prestigious County Winner title in the National Pub and Bar Awards 2025.

The Four Marys is in the running in the Southern Scotland section, which covers a large swathe of the central belt and Lothians. It was one of only two pubs shortlisted in West Lothian, the other being the Livingston Inn.

Pubs are nominated by the public; those who made the final list have been considered on a number of elements, including marketing, digital presence, design, service, style of offer and investment.

The awards, which return to London on Tuesday, June 24, will see 94 County Winners announced, as well as Highly Commended venues for each area.

Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub and Bar magazine which runs the event, said: “The aim of the National Pub and Bar Awards is simple.

“We want to showcase how brilliant these businesses are and how valuable they are to the fabric of society across the whole of the UK.

“It has never been harder in hospitality. Whether it’s a country pub with rooms or a city centre bar showing live sport, these operations deserve widespread recognition and more customers – hopefully the National Pub and Bar Awards can help with both.”

Manager of The Four Marys, Ian Riddle, won’t be able to attend the awards but is hoping to send two team members to London for the event.

The latest award nomination is the icing on the cake for Ian and the team, who have also been finalists in the Sunday Mail’s Pub of the Year for the past two years.

He said: “I worked at The Four Marys from 2006 to 2013 as the assistant manager. I returned as manager in August 2022 with the aim of putting it back on the map.

“In 2023, we made it to the top five pubs in DRAM Pub of the Year and last year in the top 10.

“We pride ourselves on good beer and trying to provide the best experience for everyone coming through our doors – whether for a good meal or a drink and a chat.

“We were over the moon when CAMRA awarded us the Forth Valley Pub of the Year and Cider Pub of the Year and we’re now going forward for the national title.

“To also be named as finalists in the Scottish Entertainment and Hospitality awards and National Pub and Bar Awards is testament to the team’s hard work, regardless of whether we win or not. And it’s great to get The Four Marys name out there.”