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Northern Hospitality announces Power List winners

Featuring long-established names, up and coming talent, six new entries, and two re-entries, the list also includes three special award winners in recognition of operators who have enjoyed a “particularly stellar" year.

“It’s been another strong year for the North’s leading operators, driving the industry forward with a balance of expansion, innovation and consolidation,” said Thom Hetherington, CEO of organisers Holden Media.

“Recent data from CGA shows the restaurant and bar scene in the major Northern cities is far outperforming London, and I think that a combination of lower costs and a better lifestyle mean more and more operators are choosing to build their businesses in the North.”

Hospitality experts in the fields of finance, accountancy, property, law and consultancy “deliberated and cogitated through hours of research and pored over hundreds of pages of judging notes” to determine the winners.

“The hotly-anticipated list provides an important platform for the most exciting and influential new and established operators in the hospitality industry,” said Felicity Tulloch, joint head of licensing at Kuits.

Hospitality is a “sector that is continuing to thrive in the UK, harnessing creativity, innovation and collaboration to propel brands forward amidst the increased political and economic pressures we’ve seen of late,” she added. “We are delighted to present here those operators we feel are really making waves in what is a constantly evolving market. Thank you for helping to make the North the best place to eat, sleep and drink in the UK.”

Now in its eighth year, the Kuits NRB Top Fifty covers 212 brands, 1527 sites and over 22,840 employees.

The awards reception took place on 19 March 2019. The three special achievement awards went to Chris Hill of New World Trading Company, John Gyngell & Christian Townsley from North Brew Co and Nisha Katona of Mowlgi Street Food.

New entries included the founders and directors of Daniel Thwaites, Evuna, Tattu, Ossett Brewery Pub Company, Inn Collection Group, and Gracious Development Group.

Gusto and Revolution Bars both made a re-entry on the the list due to “impressive performance under their new management teams”.

The full Kuits NRB Top Fifty 2019 follows below, listed alphabetically by surname and grouped by company.

Adele Ashley, Owner, Filmore & Union

Paul Askew, Chef Patron, The Art School

Rob Bacon, Executive Chef Director, Hickory's Smokehouse

Jason Bligh, Director, Hickory's Smokehouse

Neil McDonnell, Managing Director, Hickory's Smokehouse

John Welsh, Operations Director, Hickory's Smokehouse

James Baer, Managing Director, Amber Taverns

Gary Roberts, Operations Director, Amber Taverns

NEW ENTRY

Richard Bailey, Director, Daniel Thwaites

Craig Bancroft, Managing Director, Northcote

Lisa Goodwin Allen, Executive Chef, Northcote

Tim Bird, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars

Mary Mclaughlin, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars

Ken Buckley, Managing Director, Bravo Inns

Phil Dearden, Finance Director, Bravo Inns

Sarah Cook, Director, Vaulkhard Group

Harry Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group

Oliver Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group

Morgan Davies, Founder / CEO, Barburrito

Carlo Distefano, Chairman, San Carlo Group

Marcello Distefano, Managing Director, San Carlo Group

NEW ENTRY

Sean Donkin, Managing Director, Inn Collection Group

Ian Goulding, Chairman, Inn Collection Group

Keith Liddell, Executive Deputy Chairman, Inn Collection Group

NEW ENTRY

Jane Dowler, Founder, Evuna

Roy Ellis, Director, Mission Mars

Neil Macleod, Director, Mission Mars

Joel Wilkinson, Director, Mission Mars

Adelaide Winter, Director, Mission Mars

John Ennis, Owner, Graffiti Spirit

Matthew, Farrell, Owner, Graffiti Spirit

Jobe Ferguson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club

Lyndon Higginson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club

Ross Mackenzie, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club

Kit Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels

Charles Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels

Dani Hope, Sales & Marketing Director, Lake District Hotels

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER

John Gyngell, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company

Christian Townsley, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company

Jamie Hawksworth, Owner, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co

Jonathon Holdsworth, Founder, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER

Chris Hill, CEO, New World Trading Company

James Hitchen, Founder, East Coast Concepts

Guy Hitchen, Founder, East Concepts

Chris Hopkins, MD, Hydes Brewery

Marko Husak, Founder, Bundobust

Mayur Patel, Founder, Bundobust

NEW ENTRY

Adam Jones, Managing Director, Tattu

Drew Jones, Marketing Director, Tattu

Matthew Jones, Managing Director, Roxy Leisure

Ben Jones, Managing Director, Concept Taverns

Ashley Kollakowski, Rose Four Group

Simon Stevens, Rose Four Group

Barry Ladhar, Crafted Projects

Michael Ladhar, Crafted Projects

NEW ENTRY

Bob Lawson, Chairman, Ossett Brewery Pub Company

Jamie Lawson, Owner, Ossett Brewery Pub Company

Terry Laybourne, Owner, 21 Hospitality Group

William Lees Jones, Managing Director, JW Lees

Simon Lees Jones, Director, JW Lees

NEW ENTRY

Daniel Murphy, Director, Gracious Development Group

Ryan McMahon, Director, Gracious Development Group

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER

Nisha Katona, Founder, Mowgli Street Food

Tomas Maunier, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill

Robert Melman, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill

Paul Moran, Managing Director, Living Ventures

Jeremy Roberts, CEO, Living Ventures

Lucy Nelson, Sales & Marketing Director, Nelson Hotels

Andrew Nelson, Operations Director, Nelson Hotels

Joycelyn Neve, Managing Director, Seafood Pub Company

Andrew Pern, Owner / Executive Chef, The Star at Harome/Star Inn The City

Steve Pilling, Co Owner, Damson Group

RE-ENTRY

Rob Pitcher, CEO, Revolution Bars Group

Jonathan Poole, Director, Red and Blue

Paddy Smith, Director, Red and Blue

Simon Potts, Managing Director, The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant

Oliver Robinson, Managing Director, Robinson’s Brewery

William Robinson, Director, Robinson’s Brewery

Simon Rogan, Co Owner, Umbel Restaurant Group

RE-ENTRY

Matt Snell, Managing Director, Gusto

Chris Soley, Chief Executive, Camerons Brewery

David Soley, Chairman, Camerons Brewery

Chris Ure, Owner, Arc Inspirations

Martin Wolstencroft, Managing Director / Owner, Arc Inspirations

Gary Usher, Owner, Elite Bistros

Steven Walker, CEO, Individual Restaurants

James Warburton, James’s Places

Andrew Wildsmith, Founder, Wildsmith Hotels

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