BII reveals its 2025 LOYA finalists
The BII has revealed the finalists for this year’s Licensee of the Year Award.
The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has revealed its six finalists for this year’s Licensee of the Year Award (LOYA).
In partnership with Sky Business, since the launch in January this year, pub licensees 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 over 500 entrants, 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.
The 2025 Licensee of the Year Award finalists
- Janice Blacklock and Amanda Buchanan – Border Terrier, NE30 3SF
- Jon Howard – The Wykeham Arms, SO23 9PE
- Harry Seccombe and Geoff Popple – Chaplin’s & The Cellar Bar, BH1 4AG
- Michael Dove and Tommy Higgs – Three Horseshoes, OX28 6BS
- Micky Foden-Andrews – The Swan, SL4 5JG
- Mark Annear – The Cott Inn, TQ9 6HE
"Our Licensee of the Year Award is the most prestigious and hard-fought award, showcasing the dedication and excellence in our sector," says Steven Alton, BII CEO (pictured). "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 16 June."
All six finalists will be presented with a trophy at the BII Summer Event on the 17 June, where the winner of Licensee of the Year 2025 will be crowned.
Once week later, hundreds of operators from across the UK will be attending The National Pub & Bar Awards, following the announcement of this year's County Nominees.
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