New Year’s Honours roll call review

By Gary Lloyd

- Last updated on GMT

Honoured: Tim Martin, Adam Handling and Stuart Broad
Honoured: Tim Martin, Adam Handling and Stuart Broad

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The New Year Honours list always attracts attention and the recent awards were no exception as JD Wetherspoon (JDW) chairman Tim Martin received a knighthood for his services to hospitality and culture.

Other sector leaders named in the King’s list​ included chef Adam Handling – operator of Top 50 Gastropub the Loch and the Tyne​ in Old Windsor, who was awarded an MBE for services to hospitality and international trade.

Handling said at the time: “I am so overwhelmingly happy – this is, to date, the most heart-warming, humbling recognition I’ve ever received in my almost 20 years of cooking.”

Also honoured was Martyn Hiller, founder of the Micropub Association, who received an MBE for his services to business and hospitality.

Former England cricketer and co-founder of the Cat & Wickets Pub Company Stuart Broad, was named CBE for his services to cricket and founder and managing director of Brighton Gin, Kathy Caton, was awarded an MBE for services to trade and the community in Brighton.

Martin said: “Above all, JDW’s success has been due to a team effort over 44 years. Very many thanks indeed to the customers, colleagues, suppliers, designers, contractors and others, present and departed, who have contributed to this honour.”

JDW chairman praised

In The Morning Advertiser​’s Review of the Week​ recently, Oakman Group’s Peter Borg-Neal praised Martin​, saying: “It was interesting seeing the reaction to Tim Martin getting a knighthood.

“I thought it was bizarre how some people complained about it. Whether you like him or not, it’s irrelevant. If you look what that man has done in terms of jobs created and the tax he contributes to the country and you compare it to some of the pathetic appointments made by the Liz Truss administration, for anyone to say he didn’t deserve to be knighted – it’s just laughable.”

The Morning Advertiser​ rewound history to take a look at who else received honours during the past few years.

Ex-Marston’s chief executive Ralph Findlay was awarded an OBE for his services to hospitality at the start of 2023.

Also in the 2023 list was Elaine Clarke, the founder of Liverpool-based hospitality group Baa Bar, who was awarded an OBE for her services to hospitality.

In addition, marketing and PR firm Representation Plus founder Janine Cryer was praised for her services to the tourism and hospitality sector and awarded an MBE while Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes was awarded a knighthood.

Previous years’ awards

Looking back to the start of 2022, restaurateur and chef Angela Hartnett was awarded an OBE for her services to the hospitality industry and the NHS throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, having secured an MBE back in 2007.

Meanwhile, Greene King managing director Andy Wilson received an MBE for services to business and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Back to 2021 and UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls received an OBE for services to the hospitality sector.

Nicholls said at the time: “While I am personally humbled and honoured to receive this recognition, I have to pay tribute to the entire UKHospitality team for their tireless work and campaigning throughout this year, continually highlighting to Government the specific challenges our sector faces.

“This year has been one of continued despair and heartbreak for hard-pressed hospitality businesses.”

National Pubwatch chair Steve Baker was also awarded an OBE for his services to reducing crime and improving safety in licenced premises.

Pub manager Sharon Howell from the Salisbury Arms in Hertford was awarded an MBE for charitable services in Hertfordshire.

While licensee of the Bell in Ash, Somerset, Caroline Halfhide also received an MBE for services to the community in Martock, during the Covid-19 response.

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