Opinion

Amazing operators provide faith in sector for years to come

By Ed Bedington

- Last updated on GMT

Success: paying tribute to the GBPA winners and a departing colleague
Success: paying tribute to the GBPA winners and a departing colleague
It took a lot of hard work to get there but the Great British Pub Awards proved a triumph, with an amazing array of winners and finalists celebrating their success.

Judging the awards this year was a real challenge with more than 1,000 pubs entering the competition so those that reached the final stages can hold their head up high as being some of the very best operators in the sector.

It’s a real pleasure to be involved in such an event and to be able to get out and see such great businesses is heartening.

Our overall winner, the Bull in Ditchling, East Sussex, has been a 13-year work in progress – and the results are stunning. I urge all of you to check out this great business.

We hear a lot of doom and gloom in the sector, with people worrying about everything from rate reviews to the uncertainty surrounding the impact of Brexit.

Adversity

It’s nice to be able to step aside from that for a brief period and remind ourselves that we have some phenomenal operators in our industry and that whatever challenges we face, we’ve got people out there who are capable, adaptable and smart enough to be able to overcome them, and in many cases thrive in the face of any adversity.

We must remember that, and I’d like to share my admiration for all of you in the trade who are doing such a great job and driving the sector forward.

Another sign that our industry continues to thrive was evident at a recent event I attended. Star Pubs & Bars gauged the mood of its tenants at its annual national forum and the results were impressive, with 100% of the operators expressing a positive outlook, with 61% very positive, and 39% quite positive.

Tribute

Hopefully, we can keep that positive vibe as we move forward together as an industry to tackle the challenges on the road ahead.

Meanwhile, on a sadder note, I have to report that my managing editor Mike Berry is moving on to pastures new, heading into a PR role. I’d just like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication that Mike has shown over the past five years on The (Publican’s) Morning Advertiser and wish him all the best in his future role.

Related topics Events & Occasions

Related news

Show more