C2 Original Inns founder Matt Jackson was crowned the Best Individual at the Morning Advertiser 150 club awards for the country's top multiple managed operators awards at London's Sheraton Park Lane Hotel yesterday.
It was a double award winning day for Jackson, whose Lancashire based C2 Original Inns company also won the award for Best Accommodation on the day.
Jackson said he was "humbled" to win the award.
"It was very unexpected and it is a great honour to win," he said. "There are so many great smaller operators out there doing wonderful things. There were so many inspiring people in the room today — to win is just fantastic. I am really proud."
Other winners on the day were:
• Best Drinks Offer: Ever So Sensible. Finalists: Pleisure (Highly Commended), Market Town Taverns
• Best Design: Moleface Pub Company. Finalists: Foundation Inns (Highly Commended), Realpubs
• Best New Site: Grand Union Group for the Three Locks, Stoke Hammon. Finalists: Hillbrook Hotels' Master Builder's, Buckler's Hard (Highly Commended), Modern British Taverns' Ring O'Bells, Christleton
• Most Impressive Growth: Loungers. Finalists: Realpubs (Highly Commended), Grand Union Group
• Best Newcomer: Moleface Pub Company. Finalists: Foundation Inns (Highly Commended), Heartstone Inns
• Best Accommodation Offer: C2 Original Inns. Finalists: Hillbrook Hotels (Highly Commended), Merchant Inns
• Best Food Offer: Peach Pub Company. Finalists: Moleface Pub Company (Highly Commended), Anglian Country Inns, Whiting & Hammond
Morning Advertiser editor Paul Charity said: "This is the second year of these awards which recognise the achievements of the UK's best multiple site managed operators.
"Entries more than doubled compared to the first year and show how members of the MA150 club have been leading the way in so many areas of licensed retail. The winners and finalists represent the vanguard of modern pub retailng."
Presentations
The MA150 awards took place yesterday after a morning of presentations. Philip Harrison, founder and managing director of Harrison Design, who designed All Bar One and the new-look for TGI Friday's, gave his views on how pub and restaurant design is evolving. Ian Payne, chairman of Town & City Pubs and Bay Restaurants, presented on the ten key things he's learned running a leasehold estate.
Alex Reilley, managing director of Loungers and Adam Marshall and Adam Saword, managing director and operations director of Grand Union Group, spoke about the things they're doing differently in terms of pub retailng.
David Wigham, Punch regional operation director, talked about how the company's strategy for multiples is changing. There was also a case study section: Rufus Hall, chief executive of Orchid Pub Company, spoke about maximising staff productivity and the high quality information it obtains through using its Zonal EPOS system; Simon Kaye, chief operating officer of Walkabout operator Intertain, presented on project work undertaken with Scottish & Newcastle UK to maximise the quality and quantity of the company's draught lager sales.
Brulines sales director Clive Consterdine told delegates how MA150 member Kevin Burrows, of Coppermount Inns, had used its i-draught system to eliminate wastage and improve yield. The MA150 club is sponsored by Scottish & Newcastle UK (Heineken UK), Britvic, Zonal, Brulines, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, CGA, I-tradenetwork, Wells & Young's and Breezefree.
