Europa launch for LCN Gala Awards 2016
Licensed & Catering News was at The Europa Hotel in Belfast recently to see our gala awards for 2016 officially launched.
This is the sixth year that our competition and gala awards evening have been staged. It’s the biggest event of its kind for the local hospitality trade and each year, our gala evening is bolder and brighter than its predecessor.
Our 2015 Awards attracted an unprecedented response from hotels, pubs, restaurants, guest houses, caterers and tourist attractions across Northern Ireland and our grand finale at The Europa in June – when awards were distributed in 17 exciting categories – was a sold-out event.
These are still the only awards that cover every aspect of the hospitality and leisure industries locally, offering recognition and reward to those venues and individuals who are independently judged to be at the very top of their game.
With a re-invigorated line-up of sponsors and a comprehensive array of categories – including a new competition for budding mixologists – we are expecting big things from the 2016 event.
“The Licensed & Catering News Awards are now very well established on the industry’s social calendar and we are confident that the level of entries for the 2016 competition will reflect the soaring popularity of this event,” said Bill Penton, publisher of LCN and the organiser of this event.,
“Again, we’ll be calling on the expertise of mystery shopping specialists, Spotcheck, to ensure that judging is entirely independent and carried out fairly and rigorously. The awards are free to enter and open to all aspects of the industry. The rewards in terms of PR and recognition are invaluable so I think it’s going to be very exciting to see what the trade has to offer us this time around.”
In attendance at our Europa launch was Sir William Hastings, who collected the Lifetime Achievement Award at last year’s event. Encouraging everyone in the trade to submit their entry for the 2016 competition, industry veteran Sir William added:
“I was very surprised and delighted to be given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event last year. I’ve always felt that these awards were good for the industry and a real boost for the businesses and individuals that win them. It’s great to see that they’re back underway again this year.”
The closing date for entries will be Friday, March 18, 2016 and all finalists are awarded a complimentary seat VIP ticket for our gala awards evenings, when they’ll enjoy a champagne reception, live music, a gorgeous meal with fine wine and of course, the exciting award ceremony itself.
Among our sponsors this year for the first time is solicitor, Linus Murray of O’Reilly Stewart. He said that he had been very happy to come on board with next year’s event as sponsor of the Newcomer of the Year category:
“In order to support a diverse and profitable hospitality trade, we need lots of innovation and it’s a real delight to see the variety of new bars, restaurants and hotels that are currently springing up,” he added. “Long may it continue and we’re delighted to be helping LCN recognise and reward that pioneering spirit next year.”
So don’t delay, be among the first to enter for the 2016 Licensed & Catering News Awards and be part of the biggest date on the local industry’s social calendar.
Check out the LCN Awards tab on this site for more details.
Our picture at the top shows (from left), Linus Murray, O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors, sponsor of Newcomer of the Year; James McGinn, Europa general manager; Sir William Hastings, chairman, Hastings Hotels and winner of theLCN Lifetime Achievement Award 2016; model, Meagan Green and event organiser, Bill Penton.
