Popular Westport pub wins Best Outdoor Space at Irish Pub Awards

A POPULAR Westport bar has scooped the Best Outdoor Space at the 2023 Irish Pub Awards. 

The Towers Bar and Restaurant received the accolade at an awards ceremony at Dublin’s Mansion House which acknowledged excellence in the Irish pub trade. 

Nestled by the shores of Westport Harbour, the pub’s outdoor space proved very popular with patrons during the Covid-19 pandemic during a period when restaurants could only operate outdoors. 

Speaking to The Mayo News, proprietor Tom Bourke said he was ‘delighted’ to see the establishment recognised nationally.

“It’s great for Westport, Mayo and Connacht. We were the only Connacht winners, so it keeps the flag flying,” he said.

“We were up against some pretty impressive places. Dublin, Cork, Galway, to come out on top certainly is a great reward.”

Capable of seating up to 300, the bar’s outdoor space has proved popular for after-wedding parties since they added a weather-proof astro turf, as well as a stretch tent and heating system.

Extra glass panels to shield from the wind to shield from the wind have also been installed.

“When you’re down there it feels five degrees warmer. It’s cosy,” said Mr Bourke, who attributed their success to a ‘team effort’.

“It doesn’t happen on its own. It’s a team effort, from chefs, barmen, waitresses, back office, it’s a testament to everyone that works there,” he said.

The Towers Bar and Restaurant has also hosted the local Ukrainian community’s Independence Day celebrations for two years in a row since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.