A plumber who has helped keep the Royal Pavilion’s old pipes in order has been named Plumber of the Year in the south east.
The award means that Steve Gray, owner of Steve Gray Gas Services Ltd, is one of the 12 regional finalists in the first national Plumber Awards.
Mr Gray, 53, from Hove, received the award “in recognition of his outstanding commitment to customer service, high standards of compliance, as well as decades of expertise in delivering both domestic and specialist plumbing solutions”.
The organisers said: “His winning entry detailed the complex work carried out while maintaining plumbing systems at the Royal Pavilion as well as his work in a social care property where he successfully installed and maintained a system for its residents.
Mr Gray said: “It has been a real privilege to be able to work at the Royal Pavilion, helping to maintain its historic plumbing systems to ensure they continue to work safely and reliably.
“I’m also incredibly proud of the work I’ve done in the community, especially on projects where I can make a real difference to people’s wellbeing.”
A public vote for the National Plumber Awards 2026 is being held through the Plumber Awards website. To vote, click here. Voting closes at midnight on Thursday 30 April 2026.
The organisers said: “Public votes will contribute to the plumbers’ overall scores and will be added to the judges’ scores and the scores from a technical challenge set for all of the regional and highly commended winners.”
The inaugural awards are being run by the team behind the long-running Heating Installer Awards to celebrate the best plumbers in Britain for going above and beyond for their customers to “deliver fantastic work every time”.
The regional winners were selected by a panel of industry experts, professional associations and experienced plumbers during a day-long judging process held at Polypipe Building Products.
The judges said that entries – from experts in drainage, emergency call-outs, blockages and renovations – were of an incredibly high standard, setting a high bar in the awards’ first year.
The organisers added: “Around 150,000 qualified plumbers are working across the UK right now to ensure our homes have clean drinking water, safe waste disposal and efficient heating.
“As frontline defenders of modern sanitation and safe living environments, plumbers deserve to be celebrated. The Plumber Awards has been set up to do just that.”
The annual award are intended to create a positive talking point in the industry, working to promote the excellent customer service delivered by plumbers which can often go unrecognised.
The winners will be announced on Wednesday 24 June at the Installer Show at the Birmingham NEC.
