NRB Top 50 for 2015 revealed

The Northern Restaurant & Bar show (NRB) has unveiled the names of the Top 50 operators in the North for 2015.

The event, taking place at the end of the second day of the show at Manchester Central in Manchester, also saw four industry figures honoured with special achievement awards.

They were: Nigel Haworth and Craig Bancroft of Northcote; William Lees Jones of JW Lees; and Jonathan Slater of the Chester Grosvenor.

Slater was recognised for more than 30 years as hotel manager and MD of the Chester Grosvenor, before he retires at the end of March.

William Lees Jones was recognised for his efforts transforming JW Lees from a conventional brewery business to a 21st century operation with more food and contemporary brands.

Haworth and Bancroft meanwhile were rewarded for their high levels of success and longevity at Northcote.

The NRB Top 50 for 2015 (in alphabetical order) are:

• Martin Ainscough, owner, Ainscoughs
• Mark Andrew, owner, Mark Andrew Developments
• Sax Arshad, director, Mughli, Haz Arshad, director, Mughli
• Paul Askew, chef patron, the Art School
• Mohammed Aslam, owner, Aagrah Group
• Tim Bacon, CEO, Living Ventures, Jeremy Roberts, director, Living Ventures
• Craig Bancroft, managing director, Northcote, Nigel Haworth, chef patron, Northcote
• Ken Buckley, managing director, Bravo Inns
• Marie Carter, owner, Beautiful Drinks, Beau Myers, owner, Beautiful Drinks
• Sue Crimes, chief executive officer, Gusto
• Morgan Davies, founder, Barburrito
• Jimmy Del Giudice, operations director, Revolution Bars Group Plc, Mark Mcquater, CEO, Revolution Bars Group Plc
• Carlo Distefano, chairman, San Carlo Group, Marcello Distefano, managing director, San Carlo Group
• James Douglas, co-owner, Reds True BBQ, Scott Munro, co-owner, Reds True BBQ
• Roy Ellis, director, Flying Pig & Lobster, Neil Macleod, director, Flying Pig & Lobster. Simon Rimmer, chef patron, Flying Pig & Lobster
• Mal Evans, owner, Mojo
• Cleo Farman, owner, Odd Bar
• Ged Feltham, managing director, Leelex
• Jobe Ferguson, co-director, Black Dog / the Liars Club Group, Ross McKenzie, co-director, Black Dog / the Liars Club Group
• Duncan Fisher, owner, the Apartment Group
• Kevin Georgel, CEO, Admiral Taverns
• Lyndon Higginson, co-director, the Liars Club Group
• James Hitchen, managing director, Neighbourhood / Southern 11, Karina Jadhav, director, Neighbourhood / Southern 11
• Chris Hopkins, managing director, Hydes Brewery
• Terry Laybourne, chef patron, 21 Hospitality Group
• William Lees Jones, managing director, JW Lees
• Mike Magrane, general manager, the Midland
• Colin Manning, managing partner, 60 Hope Street, Gary Manning, chef patron, 60 Hope Street
• Tomas Maunier, director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill, Robert Melman, director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
• James Mackenzie, chef patron, Pipe And Glass
• Stephen Miles, general manager, Radisson Blu Edwardian Manchester
• David Mooney, co-owner, New Moon Co, Paul Newman, co-owner, New Moon Co
• Joycelyn Neve, managing director, Seafood Pub Company
• Eamonn O'Loughlin, owner, Eclectic Hotels
• Si Ord, owner, Sandinista
• Andrew Pern, chef patron, the Star At Harome / Star Inn The City
• Steve Pilling, director, Damson Group
• Simon Stanley, director, Damson Group
• Jonathan Poole, director, Red And Blue, Paddy Smith, director, Red And Blue
• Oliver Robinson, managing director, Frederic Robinson
• Simon Rogan, chef patron, L'Enclume
• Jonathan Slater, general manager, the Chester Grosvenor
• Richard Smith, chef patron, Brewkitchen
• Martin Stead, co-Owner, the Thai Restaurant Group, Kim Stead, co-Owner, the Thai Restaurant Group
• Martin Wolstencroft, managing director, Arc Inspirations, Chris Ure, owner, Arc Inspirations
• Steven Walker, CEO, Individual Restaurants
• Jonathan Ward, director, the House Of Adventure Group
• Roger Ward, owner, the Victorian Chophouse Company
• Joel Wilkinson, owner, Trof
• Marc Wilkinson, chef patron, Restaurant Fraiche
• Stewart Yip, owner, Red Chilli

Thom Hetherington, CEO of Holden Media, the organiser of NRB, said: "We received a record number of entrants to the NRB Top 50 this year, making judging an incredibly difficult process.

"The North seems to be flavour of the month amongst national and international operators at the moment, but we feel it is fundamentally important that we recognise those home-grown operators who are achieving huge levels of critical acclaim and commercial success and driving employment, training and investment in the region. Not least amongst those are our three special award winners."

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