Pub group all cheers with award shortlist success

YORKSHIRE pub group Ainsty Inns is raising a glass after being shortlisted for a hat-trick of accolades across two separate awards programmes.

Ainsty Inns is made up of four pubs including The Chequers Inn at Bilton-in-Ainsty, The Swan & Talbot in Wetherby, The Beehive in Thorner and The Duke of York at Gate Helmsley.

The Chequers Inn hopes to hold on to the national accolade of ‘Best Wine Bar/ Pub’ in the Publican Morning Advertiser’s Great British Pub Awards, after winning the title last year. The category recognises bars/pubs that achieve excellence in selling wine, covering range, sourcing, knowledge and quality in its judging criteria.

The Chequers also joins sister pub The Swan & Talbot on the shortlist for the title of ‘Best Yorkshire Pub’ at the White Rose Awards, the UK’s largest celebration of tourism excellence, organised by Welcome to Yorkshire.

The award aims to acknowledge and showcase the world-beating quality and variety of Yorkshire’s pubs, and recognises the pub which most effectively represents the best of Yorkshire to its customers. This is the second consecutive year The Chequers has been shortlisted for the award.

Ainsty Inns was established by Antony Pratt in 2012 and he is joined by group head chef Adrian Rowe.

Mr Pratt said: “We are absolutely delighted that two of our pubs have been shortlisted for these prestigious awards. It is a great opportunity to build on last year’s successes and to hopefully hold on to the title of Best Wine Pub in Great Britain. It’s also going to be very interesting seeing two of our pubs go head to head in the White Rose Awards.

“The award nominations are a celebration of both the hard work all of our staff have put in and also the exceptional produce made available through our local suppliers. It is a proud moment for Ainsty Inns.”

The nominations mark a period of growth for The Chequers and The Swan & Talbot, which has seen takings increase ten-fold and three-fold respectively since their acquisitions.

The group recently acquired its fourth pub, The Duke of York at Gate Helmsley, which has undergone extensive refurbishment.

The Great British Pub Awards take place in London in October and the White Rose Awards will be held in November at the Leeds First Direct Arena.