MA200 Award winners crowned
Steve Haslam, founder of TLC Inns, has been crowned Best Individual at the MA 200 Awards for the best, independent multiple retailers.
Haslam scooped the prize after receiving high praise from his staff for all the hard work he puts in, his openness and willingness to muck in whenever needed as well as his business acumen in growing TLC Inns.
Haslam founded TLC Inns in 2006 with partner Jo Drain and has turned around three failing Enterprise leaseholds — Cutter Inn in Ely, Cambridgeshire, the White Horse in Rmasden Heath, Essex and the Windmill in Peterbrough — with turnover reaching a very healthy level.
In August he opened his first freehold — the Henny Swan, near Sudbury in Suffolk — after acquiring it from Punch Taverns.
Haslam started his career cleaning toilets in pubs. "It is absolutely amazing," he said. "I have won some awards before but this is something else.
"I am absolutely ecstatic. Personally, I am very proud of the achievement but ultimately it is a team award. Without your team you are nothing.
"I believe I am a good people manager but you are nothing without those people.
"They have to enjoy coming to work as much as I do."
Backpacker and bar concept Beds and Bars was a double award winner — claiming the awards for the Best Training Scheme and Most Impressive Growth after exporting its brand into Europe and increasing UK sales 10.48%.
"Congratulations to all our winners," said Morning Advertiser editor The PMA Team. "I think a very large amount of the really exciting innovation happening in the pub sector is coming from the MA200 members.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the retailing ideas of this group is setting the benchmark for the rest of the industry.
"MA200 members represent the top four or five per cent of UK pub retailers in quality terms. Our finalists are the cream of the crop."
Award winners:
Best Individual: Steve Haslam, TLC Inns
Best Food Offer: Anglian Country Inns
Best Accommodation Offer: Individual Inns
Best Drinks Offer: Pleisure
Best Design: Drake & Morgan
Best New Site: Flying Kiwi Inns, King's Head in Leatheringsett, Norfolk
Most Impressive Growth: Beds and Bars
Best Newcomer: Foundation Inns
Best Training Scheme: Beds and Bars
Photos from the event
