Restaurants and pubs nominated for industry training awards

5th January 2010, 11:00am

The Restaurant Group, Punch Taverns and Enterprise Inns are among the nominees for the annual BII NITAs, which reward success achieved through effective training and development within the licensed retail industry.

Each of the shortlisted entrants will now be interviewed by a panel of industry judges. BII has revamped the competition for 2009 and has appointed a new team of judges, which is being chaired by Vicky Crossingham CBII, Training and Recruitment Director for St Austell Brewery.

St Austell, the 2006 BII NITA Supreme Award winner, has chosen not to enter the awards this year, even though the robust nature of the judging process would have ensured there was no conflict of interest.

Winners in the seven categories will be announced at the BIIAB Annual Conference in Coventry on 18th February 2010. Judges will then select an overall winner to receive the 2009 'Supreme Award', which will be announced and presented at the BII Annual Lunch in May 2010.

Sue Medhurst ABII, BII director of Marketing, commented: "The BII NITAs are always extremely popular and competition for finalist places is always strong. I'm delighted to say that in spite of the pressures on all businesses in the current climate, training is still clearly seen as a vital way to secure business success and we've received a higher number of entries than last year."

Entrants are judged on their own merits irrespective of the size of the organisation or the number of people being trained. They do not have to be BII members or BIIAB approved centres or offering BIIAB qualifications.

Licensee induction programme award – sponsored by Barcare from The Bateman Group
Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company, Edinburgh
The Restaurant Group, London
Charles Wells Pub Company, Bedford
Enterprise Inns, Solihull
Mitchells and Butlers, Birmingham

Licensee trainer of the year award – sponsored by Matthew Clark
Paul McNiece, Frankie & Bennys, Telford
Helen Wood MBII, The Broad Leys Bar & Restaurant, Aylesbury
Tim Blake, Benson Blakes Bar & Grill, Bury St Edmunds

Innovation in training award – sponsored by Charles Wells Pub Company
Punch Taverns, Burton-upon-Trent
Enterprise Inns, Solihull

Social responsibilities award – sponsored by J D Wetherspoon
C J Lang & Son Limited, Dundee
Hull College Group, Hull
Punch Taverns, Burton-upon-Trent
NEET Futures CIC, Wirral

Best Industry Training Initiative to Support Professionalism – sponsored by Enterprise Inns
EDU Plus CIC, Banbury
The Lewis Partnership, Stafford
Luminar, Milton Keynes

Professional trainer of the year award – sponsored by Greene King Pub Company
Carl Mannion FBII.tp, NEET Futures CIC, Wirral
Michael Kheng CBII, Kurnia Group, Mablethorpe, Lincs
Nicky Delaney, Access Training, Swansea
David Hawbrook FBII, abv Training, Stone
Caroline Bowes, Hilton Hotels, Leeds

Security training award – sponsored by BIIAB and City & Guilds
NEET Futures CIC, Wirral
Blueprint Training, Edinburgh

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