New entries include Evuna's Jane Dowler and the Tattu brothers
THE Northern Restaurant Bar (NRB) show has revealed its Top 50 Northern hospitality players for 2019, with three special award winners and six new entries joining the well-established list.
The list, which spans over 212 brands, 1527 sites and 22,840 employees, is chosen by a panel of industry experts and announced during the trade show at Manchester Central - the largest such hospitality event in the North.
The hotly-anticipated list provides an important platform for the most exciting and influential new and established operators in the hospitality industry
The three special achievement awards were presented to Chris Hill of New World Trading Company, John Gyngell & Christian Townsley from North Brew Co and Nisha Katona of Mowlgi Street Food.
New entries this year include the founders and directors of Daniel Thwaites, Evuna, Tattu, Ossett Brewery Pub Company, Inn Collection Group, and Gracious Development Group.
They join the ranks alongside the likes of Carlo and Marcello Distefano of the San Carlo Group, William Lees Jones of JW Lees Brewery, Martin Wolstencroft of Arc Inspirations, Joycelyn Neve of Seafood Pub Company and Adelaide Winter of Mission Mars.
(You can see the list in full below.)
Thom Hetherington, CEO of NRB organisers Holden Media, said: “It’s been another strong year for the North’s leading operators, driving the industry forward with a balance of expansion, innovation and consolidation.
"Recent data from CGA show that the restaurant and bar scene in the major Northern cities is far outperforming London, and I think that a combination of lower costs and a better lifestyle mean more and more operators are choosing to build their businesses in the North.”
Felicity Tulloch of sponsors Kuits said: "The hotly-anticipated list provides an important platform for the most exciting and influential new and established operators in the hospitality industry – a sector that is continuing to thrive in the UK, harnessing creativity, innovation and collaboration to propel brands forward amidst the increased political and economic pressures we’ve seen of late.
"We are delighted to present here those operators we feel are really making waves in what is a constantly evolving market. Thank you for helping to make the North the best place to eat, sleep and drink in the UK."
Kuits NRB Top Fifty 2019:
(listed alphabetically by surname and grouped by company)
Adele Ashley, Owner, Filmore & Union
Paul Askew, Chef Patron, The Art School
Rob Bacon, Executive Chef Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Jason Bligh, Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Neil McDonnell, Managing Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
John Welsh, Operations Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
James Baer, Managing Director, Amber Taverns
Gary Roberts, Operations Director, Amber Taverns
NEW ENTRY Richard Bailey, Director, Daniel Thwaites
Craig Bancroft, Managing Director, Northcote
Lisa Goodwin Allen, Executive Chef, Northcote
Tim Bird, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars
Mary Mclaughlin, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars
Ken Buckley, Managing Director, Bravo Inns
Phil Dearden, Finance Director, Bravo Inns
Sarah Cook, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Harry Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Oliver Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Morgan Davies, Founder / CEO, Barburrito
Carlo Distefano, Chairman, San Carlo Group
Marcello Distefano, Managing Director, San Carlo Group
Marcello (left) and Carlo (centre right) Distefano of the San Carlo Group
NEW ENTRY Sean Donkin, Managing Director, Inn Collection Group
Ian Goulding, Chairman, Inn Collection Group
Keith Liddell, Executive Deputy Chairman, Inn Collection Group
NEW ENTRY Jane Dowler, Founder, Evuna
Roy Ellis, Director, Mission Mars
Neil Macleod, Director, Mission Mars
Joel Wilkinson, Director, Mission Mars
Adelaide Winter, Director, Mission Mars
John Ennis, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Matthew, Farrell, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Jobe Ferguson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Lyndon Higginson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Ross Mackenzie, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
L-R: Lyndon, Jobe and Ross of The Liars Group
Kit Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Charles Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Dani Hope, Sales & Marketing Director, Lake District Hotels
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER John Gyngell, Director & Christian Townsley, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company
Jamie Hawksworth, Owner, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
Jonathon Holdsworth, Founder, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER Chris Hill, CEO, New World Trading Company
James Hitchen, Founder, East Coast Concepts
Guy Hitchen, Founder, East Concepts
Chris Hopkins, MD, Hydes Brewery
Marko Husak, Founder, Bundobust
Mayur Patel, Founder, Bundobust
NEW ENTRY Adam Jones, Managing Director & Drew Jones, Marketing Director, Tattu
Matthew Jones, Managing Director, Roxy Leisure
Ben Jones, Managing Director, Concept Taverns
Ashley Kollakowski, Rose Four Group
Simon Stevens, Rose Four Group
Barry Ladhar, Crafted Projects
Michael Ladhar, Crafted Projects
NEW ENTRY Bob Lawson, Chairman & Jamie Lawson, Owner, Ossett Brewery Pub Company
Terry Laybourne, Owner, 21 Hospitality Group
William Lees Jones, Managing Director, JW Lees
Simon Lees Jones, Director, JW Lees
NEW ENTRY Daniel Murphy, Director & Ryan McMahon, Director, Gracious Development Group
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER Nisha Katona, Founder, Mowgli Street Food
Tomas Maunier, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Robert Melman, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Paul Moran, Managing Director, Living Ventures
Jeremy Roberts, CEO, Living Ventures
Lucy Nelson, Sales & Marketing Director, Nelson Hotels
Andrew Nelson, Operations Director, Nelson Hotels
Joycelyn Neve, Managing Director, Seafood Pub Company
Joycelyn Neve of Seafood Pub Co.
Andrew Pern, Owner / Executive Chef, The Star at Harome/Star Inn The City
Steve Pilling, Co Owner, Damson Group
RE-ENTRY Rob Pitcher, CEO, Revolution Bars Group
Jonathan Poole, Director, Red and Blue
Paddy Smith, Director, Red and Blue
Simon Potts, Managing Director, The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
Oliver Robinson, Managing Director, Robinson’s Brewery
William Robinson, Director, Robinson’s Brewery
Simon Rogan, Co Owner, Umbel Restaurant Group
RE-ENTRY Matt Snell, Managing Director, Gusto
Chris Soley, Chief Executive, Camerons Brewery
David Soley, Chairman, Camerons Brewery
Chris Ure, Owner, Arc Inspirations
Martin Wolstencroft, Managing Director / Owner, Arc Inspirations
Gary Usher, Owner, Elite Bistros
Steven Walker, CEO, Individual Restaurants
James Warburton, James’s Places
