LOCAL LICENSEE NAMED AS NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Warwick and Leamington licensee Melissa Price has been named as Newcomer of the Year at the annual awards to find the best licensed premises in England and Wales, organised by leading licensed trade publication the Morning Advertiser.

The award was presented at a glittering ceremony at the Billingsgate Conference Centre in London. Melissa Price, supported by partner Mark Benton received high praise for their ambitious entry into the pub industry. Judges congratulated them on their successful transformation of the Punch Taverns owned Tilted Wig in Market Place, Warwick.

Melissa has doubled turnover at the pub, and has subsequently taken on two other Punch pubs, the Newbold in Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa, and the Halford Bridge near Shipston-on-Stour. They also run a Thai Restaurant in Leamington Spa called The Thai Twig.

She said: “It’s great to win the award – we live in Leek Wootton, near Warwick, and were familiar with the Tilted Wig. We had been interested in taking on a pub for some time and when the opportunity came up to take on the pub we went for it – and haven’t looked back.”

Commenting on their success, Alan Kennedy, regional operations director for Punch Taverns, said: “Melissa richly deserves her award as Newcomer of the Year. She has turned around the fortunes of the Tilted Wig and has now been bitten by the bug and taken on two other Punch Taverns pubs. We wish her the very best for future.”

Punch Taverns is the UK’s largest pub company with an estate of more than 9,300 leased, tenanted and managed outlets.