Margate’s Lord Byron pub sets sights on UK Raise The Bar win after reaching final 11 – but needs your vote

May 27, 2026 Kathy Bailes Business 0

lordbyroncomp — Lord Byron boss Tony says a win would be 'massive for the pub'

The Lord Byron pub in Margate is in the running to win a national competition organised by Samsung and ex-England football international Joe Cole.

The Byron Avenue pub has made the final 11 shortlist in the Raise The Bar competition alongside boozers from areas including Brighton, Manchester and Newcastle – all through public voting.

The contest offers UK pubs a tech upgrade for TV and sound systems so they can provide the ultimate viewing experience for their customers to enjoy.

The Lord Byron, run by firefighter Tony Palmer, was first among the pubs whittled down to a shortlist of 25 before making the team of 11 – that position already guarantees the business a new £3k TV.

Samsung says 79% of UK pub landlords stated a good TV is crucial to increasing their revenue during key sporting events such as those that are fast approaching this year. However, financial pressures and rising costs mean investment in high-quality viewing tech remains a challenge for them. Pub and bar closures have doubled during the past five years as operators battle increased running costs and taxes.

Research from Samsung confirms watching football at the pub remains a key part of British culture, with 4 in 10 (40%) Brits watching most major football tournaments at their local. A further 86% agreed that watching it together makes them feel part of a community.

The Lord Byron is in the final 11 ‘squad’

The data shows that major football tournaments can result in an average increase of £11,000 revenue per pub and an estimated additional £495m revenue across the UK pub industry as a whole.

Raise the Bar, backed by Joe Cole, calls on the nation to rally behind their local pubs and nominate them to win the thousands of pounds worth of brand-new equipment. In addition to tech makeover, Samsung will support venues and pubs across the country with advertising support to drive footfall during a key period.

From the ‘squad’ of eleven, one winning venue will receive a transformative tech upgrade and pub makeover worth more than £10,000 including dedicated media support.

Tony said: “I was gobsmacked to make the list of 25 never mind the final 11 as there are about 40,000 pubs in the UK, although I don’t know how many took part.

“Margate is tiny but we have a massive social media and local following, we have the pool and darts teams and local businesses were voting too. It would be massive for the pub if we win it!”

There is still time to vote to make sure the Lord Byron reaches its goal of taking the big win.