Burnley licensee wins top accolade from BII
Justine Lorriman from The Royal Dyche was named the winner at the BII Summer Event.
The licensee of a pub in Burnley has been named as the BII Licensee of the Year 2024.
Justine Lorriman (pictured) from The Royal Dyche was named the overall winner at the BII Summer Event, following a lengthy selection process which began with over 300 nominations.
The announcement was made after a final judging day at Sky Business head quarters on Monday 17 June, where each of the six finalists faced three panels of industry experts and operators.
Lorriman's pub was originally called The Princess Royal, but a joke on a chalkboard eventually saw the pub change to The Royal Dyche in 2018, in tribute to Burnley FC’s then manager Sean Dyche.
Not just about sport
With Lorriman 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 of The Royal Dyche, the events and other occasions that the pub supports mean that match days are no longer their busiest times, with festivals, live music and charity fundraising bringing in customers from far and wide.
"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," says Steve Alton, chief executive of the BII. "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."
The BII is an associate partner of the National Pub & Bar Awards, the final of which takes place on Wednesday 26 June.
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