The industry's leading stars were celebrating last night after reaping success at the glittering Publican Awards ceremony.Gathering for the largest ever industry awards, licensees and pub operators triumphed against a year which has seen the pub industry hit by more red-tape, costs, bureaucracy and the onslaught of the new licensing laws. The winners in 18 categories picked up their awards from TV comedian Rory Bremner.Highlights included Suffolk brewer and pub operator Greene King who bagged two of the 18 awards. It was named Pub Company of the Year - Tenanted / Lease (100+ outlets)and Pub Company of the Year - Managed (100+ outlets). Licensees Clive Mansell & Alison Carter of the Ship Inn in Owlesbury, Winchester, scooped the award for British Institute of Innkeeping Licensee of the Year. The licensees, who have run the pub for 12 years, have constantly sought to improve the offer and have made the pub a focus for all its local village activities. And Claire Hayes, senior bar person at The Ship, was also celebrating after winning the accolade of Bar Person of the Year. Other winners included The Living Room chain which was voted as Retail Brand of the Year, Botanic Inns, the Belfast-based pub chain, which won managed pub chain (10-99 outlets) and Young & Co, which was awarded Tenanted Pub Chain of the Year (10-99 outlets). The 2003 Publican Awards ceremony, which attracted a record 1,970 guests from across the industry, was hosted by top comedian Rory Bremner. The satirist hosted the awards along with his television partners John Fortune and John Bird at Grosvenor House on London's Park Lane.
