News

Lostwithiel Business Group member The Earl of Chatham has been named a semi-finalist for the prestigious 2026 BII Licensee of the Year Award (LOYA), placing it among the top 12 pubs in the United Kingdom.

Licensees Ian and Lisa Prior-Richards have guided the pub through a rigorous selection process, emerging from a field of over 800 initial nominees. The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) confirmed the shortlist this April, following an intensive series of audits conducted by industry experts.

The LOYA is widely regarded as the "Oscars" of the UK pub industry, testing operators on everything from financial acumen and staff development to community engagement and cellar management.

"Our semi-finalists are of a fantastic standard," said Steve Alton, Chief Executive of the BII. " We are proud that the awards process this year is offering more value than ever, with Cask Marque auditing cellars and judges experiencing these businesses first-hand."

Over the coming weeks, head judges Amanda Hemming and Ashley McCarthy will visit the Earl of Chatham  to witness the pub’s operations during a live service. This deep-dive assessment will determine which six finalists will move forward to the final judging panel. The winner will be crowned at the BII Summer Event held in London held on June 16^th.

Image Credit: British Institute of Innkeeping (BII)

For more information see BII website