Former cricketer in the running for pub licensee of the year
A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE pub operator has reached the quarter finals of the 2024 Licensee of the Year Award – dubbed one of the industry’s toughest competitions.
Harry Gurney is among 53 licensees vying for the national title – chosen from more than 300 entrants, nominated by colleagues, customers and friends.
Harry runs the popular Tap & Run in Upper Broughton, a gastro pub which rose from the ashes last year after a devastating fire in 2022.
The blaze nearly destroyed the business, but affter a £1m rebuild it reopened in June last year, almost a year to the day since the fire.
The former cricketer has run the pub with fellow ex-england and Nottinghamshire star Stuart Broad since 2018, bowling over both villagers and customers from further afield.
Harry was on site in the early hours after being alerted about the fire and watched as the fire service did their best to limit the damage. He was back the day after, meeting a surveyor to look at the work that needed to be done.
The annual award is given out by the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII). The quarter finalists have reached this far based on the nominations, coupled with social media and web assessments. The next stage of the judging is through mystery diners and drinkers.
BII CEO Steve Alton said: “Our Licensee of the Year Award is the most prestigious and hard-fought award, showing the excellence in our sector.
“We are delighted to have had so many entries in 2024, despite the challenges that our sector has faced over the last few years, showing, as ever, the resilience and commitment of our licensees.”
Semi-finalists will be announced in April. Contenders will be interviewed at their premises with head judges Amanda Hemming and Ashley Mccarthy helping to decide the final six.
All six finalists will be be presented with a trophy at the BII summer event on June 18, where the winner of Licensee of the Year 2024 will be crowned. Harry wouldn’t be the first Nottinghamshire licensee to win the accolade known as LOYA.
In 2019 the title went to David Hage and Mark Osborne, co-owners of a group of pubs including the Railway in Lowdham and The Lambley.