Industry's finest honoured at Publican Awards

Licensee Lucy Craig of the Ha! Ha! Bar and Canteen in Brighton has become the youngest ever winner of the BII Licensee of the Year award.

The 27-year-old, who manages the £1m turnover site in the bustling heart of the city, collected her award from comedian and TV host Jimmy Carr at The Publican Awards 2005 at London's prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel last night.

Lucy, who faced stiff competition from five other worthy finalists, not only holds overall responsibility for 15 full and five part-time staff within the unit but is also one of five training coordinators for the retail brand, overseeing training at five outlets for more than 100 staff.

The Publican Awards 2005, the largest event in the industry, saw almost 2,000 of the pub trade's key figures celebrate the best the pub trade has to offer.

Licensee and pub company winners faced a tough judging process over the last six months including intensive trade visits and panel interview sessions.

Joining Lucy on the stage to collect awards this year were top operators including Barracuda Group which swept to victory in both the Pub Company of the Year (managed 100 plus) category and the Retail Brand of the Year category for its Varsity student concept.

Other winners included Barperson of the Year Andrew Verrall, licensees Andrew and Rowena Whiteman who were named Newcomers of the Year and the Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk in Co Durham which won the Freehouse of the Year category.

Regional brewers also came out on top with Shepherd Neame was named Pub Company of the Year (managed 10-99 outlets), George Gale & Co taking the Pub Company of the Year award for the tenanted 10-99 outlet category for the second year running, and SA Brain named Regional Brewer of the Year.

For a full list of the winners and sponsors see the roll of honour below.

Newcomer of the Year​ Sponsored by London & Edinburgh Inns​

• Winner:​ Andrew & Rowena Whiteman, The Harris Arms
• Highly commended:​ Darren Cook, Benfleet Tavern
• Finalists:​ Bernadette Taylor & Peter Coldwell, The Mulberry Pub Co; Christopher Townsend, The Star; Kerry Williams, Steps Bar & Bistro; Wendy Moss, Y Coed Duon

Pub Design of the Year​ Sponsored by Mitchells and Butlers​

• Winner:​ Escape, Skipton, Yorks
• Finalists:​ The Gallery, London; Life, Corby; Pitcher & Piano, Trafalgar Square; The Vine, Cambridge; The Yard, Cardiff

Marketing Pub of the Year​ Sponsored by Cashbox ATM Systems​

• Winner:​ The Kings Head, Hythe, Kent
• Finalists:​ Bay Horse, Lindley, W Yorks; The Courtyard, Worcester; The Monkmoor Hotel, Shropshire; The Spring Inn, Rochdale; The Witchwood, Ashton Under Lyne

Customers Service Pub of the Year​ Sponsored by Spirit Group​

• Winner:​ The White Swan, Winchester
• Finalists:​ The Bridge Inn, Cumbria; The Fountain Inn, Stourbridge; The Plough Inn, Kidderminster; Red Lion Inn, Stathern, Leicestershire; The Witchwood, Ashton Under Lyne

Music Pub of the Year​ Sponsored by The Performing Right Society​

• Winner:​ Riff's Bar, Swindon
• Highly commended:​ The Blues Bar, Harrogate, N Yorkshire
• Finalists:​ Bar Seven/Junktion 7, Nottingham; Bay Horse, Lindley, W Yorks; The Famous Bein Inn, Glenfarg, Perth; The Witchwood, Ashton Under Lyne - Pauline Town

Bar Person of the Year​ Sponsored by Carling​

• Winner:​ Andrew Verrall, Princess Royal
• Finalists:​ Stuart Burton, The Alford Arms; Lee Lynch, Living Ventures; Pauline Rushton, Blue Bell Hotel; Pam Thomas, Bar 08; Michelle Wrigglesworth, The Garsdale Country Inn & Restaurant

Businesswoman of the Year​ Sponsored by Booker​

• Winner:​ Bernadette Taylor, The Mulberry Pub Co Ltd
• Finalists:​ Cherri Dandridge, Tailors Eating House; Sarah Dunn, Haworth Old Hall; Denise Higgins, Pyramid Pub Management Company; Rebecca Saunders, Robin Hood; Helena Taylor, Avebury Taverns

Catering Pub of the Year​Sponsored by Brakes​

• Winner:​ The Alford Arms, Frithsden, Herts
• Finalists:​ The Bridge Pub & Dining Rooms; The Broad Face, Oxon; The Crooked Billet, Oxon; The Dog & Duck, Linton, Cambridgeshire; The Elm Tree, Reading, Berkshire

Family Pub of the Year​ Sponsored by Britvic Soft Drinks​

• Winner:​ Hairy Dog, Minehead, Somerset
• Finalists:​ The Chestnut Tree Pub & Dining, St Asaph, Denbighshire; The Garsdale Country Inn & Restaurant, Brandlesholme, Bury; The Great Harry, Belvedere, Kent; The Spring Inn, Rochdale; The Three Horseshoes, Scottow, Norwich

Freehouse of the Year​ Sponsored by Christie & Co​

• Winner:​ The Rose & Crown at Romaldkirk, Co Durham
• Finalists:​ The Appletree Country Inn, Marton, N Yorkshire; Orocco Pier, South Queensferry; The Ship Inn, Elie, Fife; The Swan Inn, Barnby, Suffolk; The Swettenham Arms, Cheshire

Entrepreneurial Business of the Year​ Sponsored by Punch Taverns​

• Winner:​ The Peach Pub Company, Warwick
• Highly commended:​ Suburban Style Bar Co, W Yorkshire
• Finalists:​ Arrow Pubs, Warwickshire; Escape, Skipton, North Yorkshire; Ever So Sensible Bars, Nottingham; Salisbury Pubs

Retail Brand of the Year​ Sponsored by Tradeteam​

• Winner:​ Varsity, Barracuda Group
• Finalists:​ The Living Room, Living Ventures; L'auberge, Massive; Smith & Jones, Barracuda Group; Sizzling Pub Co, Mitchells & Butlers; Hungry Horse, Greene King

Pub Company of the Year - Managed (100+ outlets)​Sponsored by UB Foodservice​

• Winner:​ Barracuda Group, Buckinghamshire
• Finalists:​ Fuller, Smith & Turner, London; Mitchells & Butlers, Birmingham; SA Brain, Cardiff; Spirit Group, Staffordshire; London & Edinburgh Inns, Kent

Pub Company of the Year - Managed (10-99 outlets)​Sponsored by Walkers Snacks​

• Winner:​ Shepherd Neame, Kent
• Highly commended:​ Hardys & Hansons, Nottingham
• Finalists:​ Daniel Thwaites Brewery, Blackburn; Glendola Leisure, Wembley; Honeycombe Leisure, Preston; Massive, Middlesex

Pub Company of the Year - Tenanted / Leased (100+ outlets)​ Sponsored by Marston's Pedigree​

• Winner:​ Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises, Edinburgh
• Finalists:​ Avebury Taverns, Buckinghamshire; Greene King Pub Partners, Suffolk; Fuller, Smith & Turner, London; Hardys & Hansons, Nottinghamshire; Pyramid Pub Management Co, Cheshire

Pub Company of the Year - Tenanted / Leased (10-99 outlets)​ Sponsored by American Express​

• Winner:​ George Gale & Co, Hampshire
• Highly commended:​ Tadcaster Pub Company, N Yorkshire
• Finalists:​ Adnams, Suffolk; Heavitree Brewery, Exeter; The Hook Norton Brewery Co, Oxon; Young & Co Brewery, London

Regional Brewer of the Year​ Sponsored by VK Vodka Kick​