Two Stonegate Group pubs, The Woodman in Ruislip and The Old Swan in Earls Barton, have made it to the final of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) Licensee of the Year Award (LOYA). This highlights the exceptional work of Steve Banks at The Woodman and Paul Dexter and Keith Goddard at The Old Swan.
The award celebrates the very best in the industry, recognising those who have demonstrated an elevated level of excellence and innovation in their operations.
From over 300 original entrants, six finalists were selected based on their impact in the community, team support and innovation.
The two Stonegate Group leased and tenanted pub finalists impressed judges with their outstanding mystery diner visit scores, customer reviews and face-to-face interviews with judges Amanda Hemming and Ashley McCarthy.
Steve Banks, who operaties The Woodman, Ruislip, said: “Being named a finalist in the Licensee of the Year Awards means a lot to us. It’s a real testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team at The Woodman. We focus on providing a fantastic service and creating a welcoming environment for our community, and it’s great to see our efforts acknowledged by such a respected institution.”
The Licensee of the Year Award, in partnership with Sky Business, is known as one of the toughest competitions for licensee operators in the UK. Since January, participants have been demonstrating their business skills, team-building abilities and community involvement, with an emphasis on resilience, sustainability and diversification.
Paul Dexter and Keith Goddard, who operate The Old Swan, Earls Barton, said: “We are delighted to have made it to the finals of this year’s LOYA. It’s an incredible feeling to have our passion and commitment to our pub and community acknowledged at this level. We owe this achievement to our amazing team and loyal customers who make The Old Swan such a special place in the community.”
The winners will be announced at the BII Summer Event on Tuesday 18th June, where the industry will celebrate the finalists’ achievements.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Stonegate Group
Stonegate Group is the largest pub company in the UK. Its portfolio is comprised of over 4,500 sites, split across managed, operator led and leased and tenanted businesses.
The managed pubs division, which employs just under 16,000 people, is split into Branded and Traditional pubs. Branded is comprised of: Slug & Lettuce, Popworld, Be At One and the Venues division. Traditional (unbranded) pubs are made up of: Proper Pubs, Pub & Dining and Social Pub & Kitchen.
To date, over 12,000 employees have engaged with the various training programmes Stonegate Group offer, with over 600 Deputy Managers across the estate having been promoted to management roles.
The leased and tenanted estate, Stonegate Pub Partners, is made up of over 3,000 diverse sites whilst operator led Craft Union is currently made up of over 500 community pubs.
The business is multi award-winning for the training and development of its people and business success including:
BII’s National Innovation in Training Awards (NITAs): HR Manager of the Year, multiple times; Best Apprenticeship Training Programme (ATOP). Best Managed Company for Training.
REBA Employee Wellbeing Awards – Best New Wellbeing Strategy (5000+ staff);
Publican Awards – Best Pub Employer (501+ employees) multiple times; Best Community Operator (Craft Union Pub Company) multiple times; Best Managed Pub Company multiple times.
Great British Pub Awards – Best LGBTQ+ operator multiple times; Best Sports Pub multiple times; Best Pub Garden, Best Entertainment; Best pub to watch sport; Community Mindfulness
Licensed Trade Charity Awards raising awareness through fundraising
UK Hospitality’s Dusk ‘til Dawn Late Night Awards Best Marketing and Promotions Award; Best Service & Team; Best late Night Operator
HR Excellence Awards: Best Learning and Development Strategy
HR Distinction Awards: Innovation for Digital & Social Media; People Development; Innovative Use of Technology
And awards for charity contribution including Licensed Trade Charity: Outstanding Corporate Contribution Award; APPBG PUBAID Corporate Charity Fundraiser Award
Contact: Hannah Leeland, hannahleeland@leisurepr.co.uk
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