BII unveils Licensee of the Year shortlist

24-Mar-2010 - Last updated on 11-Mar-2017 at 18:38 GMT

BII: looking for the best of the best

The BII has announced the semi-finalists in its Licensee of the Year competition — six finalists will now be selected.

The BII has announced the semi-finalists in its Licensee of the Year competition.

Judges look for individuals or partnerships who make the best of the resources they have available.

Each of the semi-finalists will now be visited in their outlet by two independent judges who will then select six finalists.

The six finalists will be invited to a judging day in central London at the end of April where they will be put through their paces by a panel of judges.

The announcement of the 2010 BII Licensee of the Year will be made at BII's most prominent event - the Annual Lunch at London's Grosvenor House on Tuesday 11 May 2010.

The semi-finalists are:

• Nigel and Sue Anstead, The White Horse, Bedford

• John Bellinger, The Bell Inn, Adderbury, Nr Banbury

• Mark Barton, Taychreggan Hotel & Restaurant, Dundee

• Gary Weston, The Bell Inn, Devizes, Wiltshire

• Simon Mills, Harvester, Long Itchington, Warwickshire

• Darran Lingley, Five Bells, Colne Engaine, Colchester

• Lucy and Mark Barron-Reid, The Bull at Benenden, Benenden, Kent

• Tim Gray, The Yew Tree, Lower Wield, Hampshire

• Antony Marshall, True Lovers Knot, Blandford Forum, Dorset

• Gerry Price, The Inn @ West End, Woking, Surrey

• Richard and Loren Pope, The Bulls Head, Repton, Derbyshire

BII director of marketing Sue Medhurst said: "We thought the challenges of current trading conditions might affect the number of entries this year but quite the opposite is true.

"It's great to see so many licensees recognising the benefits of entering the BII Licensee of the Year Award.

"It seems that gaining recognition for delivering excellence remains high on the agenda for our industry.

"Everyone's working harder, and using diversification tactics and ingenious ways to evolve their businesses in line with customer expectations and economic challenges."