2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners – Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne
Meet Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne, the visionary duo behind London Cocktail Week and founders of The Pinnacle Guide, recognised at the 2026 Bar Magazine Awards for their outstanding contribution to the drinks industry and their global championing of bar excellence.
What does winning the Lifetime Achievement award mean to you both personally and professionally, and how does it inspire your next goals?
Hannah: It’s amazing of course – although to be clear – there’s lots more life in us yet! We’re only just getting started! We’ve dedicated the majority of our professional careers to supporting the hospitality industry and see running the festival as a real badge of honour, albeit a big commitment. To have that recognised by our peers reinforces that both the event and our work is appreciated. Also – it’s usually us giving out the prizes so we certainly appreciate being on the receiving end!
Can you share a defining moment or experience in your career that led you to where you are today and contributed to this recognition?
Siobhan: London Cocktail Week has grown from something designed just for the trade to a city-wide celebration and a chance for us all to showcase the incredible artistry and skill that goes into London’s award-winning bar scene on a global stage. We have had pinch-me moments every step of the way as we’ve allowed the festival to evolve and grow in line with the industry’s requirements. For us – working more closely with the Mayor of London and City Hall has given a real sense of purpose to the event – and our dream is to elevate it further so it sits alongside London Fashion Week as an impactful cultural moment in our city’s calendar.
How do you strive to make a meaningful impact in your field?
Hannah: We have always planned to do something on a global scale. We know that running Cocktail Weeks in cities we don’t live in is not the right route for us – however, launching The Pinnacle Guide has allowed us to take the same ethos – of championing excellence and showcasing that to the general public – on a much wider scale. Creating a system that can reward bars of any size or style in any city around the world – regardless of notoriety – has been a real privilege. We’re looking forward to launching The Pinnacle Guide into more countries as soon as possible.
What advice would you give to aspiring professionals looking to achieve similar success?
Siobhan: The wonderful thing about London Cocktail Week is it can be replicated anywhere in the world where there is a strong bar community. We believe success comes when the organisers truly love and admire the bars they work with and the city they live in and encourage anyone who would like to start one to reach out and speak with us… London Cocktail Week has been through so many iterations over the years and we’ve navigated so many curve balls – but the key thing is understanding the dynamics of your own city and building the model around that. We are always available to chat through ideas, we’re happy to share decks and business plans with anyone who asks. Never be scared to send an email. Most people, especially in our industry, are only too happy to help.
What’s next for you in terms of your future goals, short and long-term?
Hannah: The biggest news in terms of London Cocktail Week is that we have decided to move the dates to Spring 2027. We’re basically “doing a Glastonbury” and letting the city (and ourselves) have a breather. We acquired full ownership on 01 February 2026 so we want to be sure that we are doing our very best by everyone involved when the festival returns. Autumn is also so full-on within the global bar calendar – we had the opportunity to ease the load so we took it. We’re also going to actually enjoy a Summer holiday for the first time in 16 years – rather than full-on planning for October – delighted!
@hannahsharmancox
@siobhanpayne_