Pub heritage in safe hands

Anyone who harbours doubts about the future of the pub trade should have been at the Best Pub Awards ceremony at Old Billingsgate in London last Thursday.

Around 800 guests were at the gala evening to salute the best pubs and licensees in the business. Everywhere you looked, there were examples of entrepreneurship, hard work, innovation, teamwork and dedication.

It was also refreshing to see plenty of trade newcomers being rewarded, which shows that you don't have to be a seasoned professional to succeed. These newcomers are breathing fresh life into the industry and their hard work and dedication shows that Britain's rich pub heritage is in good hands.

Whatever the category, there was much to cheer. Every finalist had something special to offer customers, whether it was the food or drink, community spirit or sports offering, atmosphere or standards of service. It more than demonstrated the adage that every pub is as different as the licensees who run them.

The growth in stature of the Best Pub Awards can be gleaned from the fact that the number of entries this year was 20% higher than last year, which itself was up 20% on the previous year.

The lure of the awards for licensees is not just to gain the recognition of their peers, but also to utilise a vital business-building tool. Every year, winning licensees tell us that their business has grown due to the publicity surrounding their success. We expect this year's winners to benefit just as much.

Licensees also tell us that entering the awards gives them the opportunity to further appraise their business and chart what they have achieved over the past year. They say it is an important factor in helping them plan for future growth or decide how they can appeal to a different customer base.

Another thing that struck the judges and sponsors was the highly professional nature of the entries.

Even though the past year has been a particularly stressful time for everyone in the trade, what with embracing the new Licensing Act and preparing for the smoking ban, hosts have shown a marked degree of fortitude in overcoming these challenges.

Therefore, the Morning Advertiser would like to salute every licensee who has now entered our Hall of Fame. We are truly proud of them and we know that the industry is in good hands, both now and into the future.