Yorkshire licensees Ashley and Kelly McCarthy of the Ye Old Sun Inn in Colton, York, were yesterday named BII Licensee of the Year Award, while Tom Manville MBII from the University of Winchester became the first licensee to receive the Jeremy Allen Award for excellence in training.
The BII, which announced at the awards at its annual Luncheon held at Grosvenor House in London, said that the McCarthy’s had impressed at every judging stage, and that despite the extremely high standards of their fellow finalists, took the top spot thanks to their passion, determination and a clear understanding of their audience.
The McCarthy’s took over the pub in 2004 and have since built up an enviable reputation based on their quality food and extensive drinks offering, alongside the community events programme including cookery classes.
BII judge John Sharratt said: “We look for people that epitomise professionalism and who develop and maintain their business in a sustainable way. Ashley and Kelly are quality operators with an offering appropriate to their target audience. Their rural pub is situated in a very small community which could not sustain their business alone, but they have successfully created a pub that locals love and also attracts people from the surrounding area.”
BII chief executive Tim Hulme said: “The Licensee of the Year Award, sponsored by Britvic, is a highly revered accolade that propels winners into the spotlight and gives them an opportunity to push their careers to the next level. I am sure Ashley and Kelly will prove to be inspirational holders of the award over the next year and provide a great example for fellow licensees across the country.
“We are also delighted to congratulate student union bar manager at the University of Winchester, Tom Manville, who became the first winner of the Jeremy Allen Award launched to celebrate excellence in training and staff development in the licensed trade. Tom impressed the judges with his dedication to training and motivating his staff, most of whom were new to the business. He excels at educating them on all aspects of responsibility, age, alcohol and supervision, and has developed training programmes both in and away from the business for all new entrants.”
