Former chair of Yorkshire Tea owner in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024

The former chair of Yorkshire-based company Bettys and Taylors, which owns Betty’s Café Tea Rooms and Yorkshire Tea, is among those who received recognition in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024.

 

Lesley Margaret Wild had worked for over 40 years at the fourth-generation family-owned business Betty’s and Taylors, which was founded in 1907 by Swiss baker and confectioner Fritz Bützer, who opened his first Betty’s in 1919 on Cambridge Crescent, Harrogate. She has been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to business and trade.

 

Alan Jope, who was chief executive of Unilever between 2019 and 2023, also received a CBE for services to business. He was at Unilever for 38 years, starting as a marketing trainee in 1985. The British consumer goods company owns numerous brands including Knorr, Magnum and Cornetto.

 

Other recipients of the CBE included Andrew Alleyne Berry, principal and chief executive officer of Bridgwater and Taunton College in Somerset, which also includes courses in catering; Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association; and theatre producer Nica Burns, who opened her first restaurant, Stars Restaurant and Bar at Soho Place theatre in London’s Tottenham Court Road, in late 2022.

 

Professor Andrew Alexander Campbell, professor of Practice in Tourism and former chair of the Wales Tourism Alliance between 2018 and 2021, also received a CBE for services to tourism.

 

Meanwhile, Andrew John Forsey, national director of charity Feeding Britain, which oversees a network of 105 regional and local anti-hunger partnerships featuring over 700 community centres, schools, local authorities and social enterprises, received an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire).

 

Junior Charles Johnson, director of operations at the Food Standards Agency, was also given an OBE for public and voluntary service, while Charlotte Elizabeth Pike, food writer, cookery teacher and chef, received an OBE for services to food writing and food education. Nicholas William Niel Price was recognised with the same award for services to the food and hospitality industry and to the community in Northern Ireland.

 

James Edward Walker was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) as president of Cumbria Tourism.

 

Finally, those who were recognised with a British Empire Medal (BEM) included Adele Leona Elder, area catering manager for the Education Authority, while both Geppino Paolo Dammone and Gianfranco Demetrio Dammone of Salvo’s Restaurant in Leeds received BEMs for services to hospitality.

 

The Dammone brothers took over the business from their father, the late Salvatore Dammone, who opened Salvo’s in Headingley near Leeds in 1976.

 

A total of 1,077 people across the UK received honours for their contributions to a range of industries and many were recognised for being inspiring entrepreneurs and community champions.

 

Individuals in hospitality awarded a CBE

 

• Lesley Margaret Wild, lately chair, Bettys and Taylors (Harrogate, North Yorkshire)
• Andrew Alleyne Berry, principal and chief executive officer, Bridgwater and Taunton College, Somerset (Street, Somerset)
• Nica Burns, theatre producer and theatre owner (London, Greater London)
• Ian Gatt, chief executive, Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (Inverurie, Aberdeenshire)
• Alan Jope, lately chief executive officer, Unilever (Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh)

 

Individuals in hospitality awarded an OBE

 

• Andrew John Forsey, national director, Feeding Britain (Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear)
• Junior Charles Johnson, director of operations, Food Standards Agency (London, Greater London)
• Charlotte Elizabeth Pike, food writer, cookery teacher and chef (Wimborne, Dorset)
• Andrew Alexander Campbell, professor of Practice in Tourism and former chair of the Wales Tourism Alliance (Goodwick, Dyfed)
• Nicholas William Niel Price (Belfast, City of Belfast)

 

Individuals in hospitality awarded an MBE

 

• James Edward Walker, president of Cumbria Tourism (Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria)

 

Individuals in hospitality awarded a MBE

 

• Adele Leona Elder, area catering manager, Education Authority (Ballymoney, County Antrim)
• Geppino Paolo Dammone, director, Salvo’s Restaurant, Leeds (Leeds, West Yorkshire)
• Gianfranco Demetrio Dammone, managing director, Salvo’s Restaurant, Leeds (Leeds, West Yorkshire)