The competition, which is run by the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) is regarded as one of the most rigorous and hard-fought awards for individual licensee operators in the UK.
Since the launch in January this year, licensee operators have been entering the competition, showing the judges evidence of how they have been building their businesses, teams and communities, with a focus on their resilience, sustainability and diversification.
Selected from a field of more than 800 nominations, the six finalists have been selected based on their community impact, support for their teams, commitment to sustainability, plans for diversification and the ‘X factor’ that makes brilliant pubs so special.
Exceptional scores
The 2026 Licensee of the Year Award finalists are:
- Eamonn England & Arina Piskunova – The Windsor Castle, north London, N2 8DL
- James & Charlotte Foy – The White Horse, Leicester, LE4 4EF
- Linda Cole – The Berkley Arms, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 8HG
- Micky Foden-Andrews – The Swan, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5JG
- Nigel Smith – The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Worcestershire, WR11 7JE
- Sonia Labatut – The Plough, south-west London, SW14 7AF
All finalists had exceptional mystery diner visit scores, and faced financial and online audits, followed by face-to-face interviews in their pubs with head judges, Amanda Hemming and Ashley McCarthy.
Dedication and excellence
BII CEO Steven Alton said: “Our Licensee of the Year Award is the most prestigious and hard-fought award, showcasing the dedication and excellence in our sector. The final six this year represent a wide range of fantastic pubs, each offering a unique approach to the care and dedication to their teams and communities.
“We are very proud that the awards offer a value-added experience at every stage of the competition. Our finalists will have had the opportunity to evaluate their businesses at every stage, from mystery customer reports and judging visit feedback, right through to our final judging day at Sky HQ on Monday 15 June.”
The finalists will be presented with a trophy at the BII Summer Event on 16 June, where the winner of Licensee of the Year 2026 will be crowned.
