Justine Lorriman, of the Royal Dyche, in Burnley, has won the British Institute of Innkeeping’s (BII) Licensee of the Year award.
Excelling across all areas of the competition, Justine faced incredibly tough competition from five other finalists, from a diverse range of business models and experience. But her performance on the final judging day saw her take the top spot.
She took on the pub 11 years ago, when it was called The Princess Royal. But a joke on a chalkboard led to the pub changing its name to The Royal Dyche in 2018, immortalising Burnley FC’s then manager Sean Dyche.
With Justine at the helm, the business has been transformed into a pivotal local landmark and a hub of inclusivity, where customers from across the community can come together in a safe and welcoming space.
Despite football being a key feature, the events and other occasions that the pub supports mean that match days are no longer the busiest times, with festivals, live music, and charity events bringing in customers from far and wide.
“At the Royal Dyche, you’re not just a face in the crowd,” said Justine. “You are a valued member of my sports-loving family.”
She was crowned winner in front of colleagues and industry friends at this year’s BII Summer Event, hosted at the beautiful HAC Royal Artillery Gardens in Moorgate, London.
Steve Alton, chief executive of the BII, said: “I’d like to offer a massive congratulations to Justine on behalf of myself and the whole team here at the BII, including our fantastic judges. This is the most rigorous and intense competition in our industry, so I would like to also congratulate our other wonderful finalists on this incredible achievement.
“This year, more than ever, we saw incredible diversity across the operators and business models represented by our finalists, proving once again how much the great British pub has to offer in every community across the UK.
“Justine’s leadership, innovation, and tenacity as an operator is simply inspirational. She represents everything that is uniquely brilliant about our industry, and we can’t wait to share the excellence and experience from her, and all our finalists over the coming year.”
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