Tributes paid to the best of St Austell Brewery
Directors Award presented by James Staughton, managing director of St Austell Brewery – centre – with The Pandora Inn team: (L-R) John Milan, Catherine Croft, Steve Bellman and Lester Croft.
The finest pub landlords, restaurateurs and hotel managers in the South West were rewarded for their efforts at a night of celebration held by St Austell Brewery to honour its most dedicated staff.
The annual Tribute Estate Awards took place at the Great Western Hotel in Newquay on January 29th with managers and staff from amongst the brewery’s 170 owned and managed pubs and hotels in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset gathered to toast the best performing venues in the region.
A total of 19 awards were presented, celebrating excellence in categories like food and drink, accommodation, customer service, training and marketing. The evening culminated with the awards for Managers and Tenants of the Year, plus the Director’s Award, a special accolade which is given to an individual or business which has made an exemplary contribution to the South West pub industry.
This year those attending the lively ceremony were entertained by popular Cornish comedian Johnny Cowling, who ensured the 15th annual evening of celebration was full of fun and laughter.
The 2014 Pub Managers of the Year award went to Jason and Debbie Manton from The Globe, Topsham, with Tenants of the Year awarded to Tim and Liz Hore from Victoria Inn, Salcome. Joint winners of New Tenants of the Year were John Marquis and Melissa Holstegge of The Sharksfin, Mevegissey, and Pete and Elaine Delaney from the Lugger Inn, Polruan.
The Director’s Award presented by St Austell Brewery Managing Director James Staughton, was awarded to Steve Bellman and John Milan who operate a select portfolio of properties under the ‘Inns of Cornwall & Devon’ name. James Staughton praised their passion and dedication to operate to a consistently high standard for food, drink, accommodation and service and their longstanding loyalty to St Austell Brewery. Their pubs include the hugely successful Pandora Inn at Restronguet and The Mill on the Exe, Exeter.
The Pedn Olva Hotel, St Ives successfully scooped the Accommodation House of the Year (Managed) award for the second year running, with the Paris Hotel, Helston picking up Accommodation House of the Year (Tenancy) in a heavily contested category. The William IV, Truro earned itself the award for Pub Floral Display of the Year.
Adam Luck, St Austell Brewery Estate Director, said: “The winners and runners up in all categories were of an extremely high standard this year. I would like to congratulate the managers, tenants and staff who continue to work hard to keep up the amazing quality of service we strive to offer our customers.
“The awards evening is always a fantastic opportunity for everyone to get together and celebrate all the hard work that goes on throughout the year.”
Proving its ongoing commitment to the training and development of staff, The Victoria Inn, Threemilestone won the Training Pub of the Year award for the second year running. Customer Service Pub of the Year went to The Lifeboat Inn, St Ives, which was received by delighted host Kellie-Jane McKeown, and Community Pub of the Year was won by The Logan Rock Inn, St Levan.
With exceptionally high quality food and drink a top priority for St Austell Brewery, categories in this field were especially hard-fought. Linda Prior from the Old Custom House, Padstow received the Food Pub of the Year (Managed) award, with The Cornish Arms, Tavistock picking up the award in the Tenancy category. The Pandora Inn, Mylor won Wine House of the Year having excelled during 2014, winning the Best Wine Pub award at the Great British Pub Awards.
Beer Pub of the Year (Managed) went to the hosts of the evening The Great Western, Newquay, with Beer Pub of the Year (Tenancy) awarded to The Kings Arms, Luxulyan.
The Atlantic Hotel, Isles of Scilly, won Best Turnaround Pub of the Year (managed), and the Best Turnaround Pub of the Year (Tenancy) went to The Seven Stars, Stithians.
The Harbour Inn, Porthleven retained its award for Marketing and Social Media Pub of the Year (Managed) with the same award in the Tenancy category going to The Buccaneer Inn, Torquay.
