Landlords of North Yorkshire's Ye Old Sun Inn win BII Licensee of the Year

The landlords of North Yorkshire pub, Ye Old Sun Inn, in Colton, have been named Licensee of the Year 2013 today at the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) Awards.

Kelly and Ashley McCarthy, who have picked up 10 national and regional awards since they took over the country pub in 2004, had to complete a gruelling round of Q&As, site inspections and an "Apprentice-style" day of interviews before a panel of nine industry experts, before being selected as winners of the BII competition.

During the 25th BII annual lunch at Grosvenor House, BII chief executive Tim Hulme said: "The award is highly coveted and not taken lightly by any entrant, given the tough judging process, which is what gives the award its credibility."

Kelly and Ashley, who have worked together in the hospitality and retail trade for more than 20 years, have made a name for themselves with their food, using seasonal local produce, as well as regular cookery demos, food workshops and community and charity nights.

"It's a fantastic achievement to be recognized by your peers as doing a good job," said chef Ashley, who runs the kitchens while Kelly runs front of house.

Asked what the key to successful pub management is, Ashley added: "Hard graft and passion! We don't sit back and let customers come to us; we are hands on and proactive within the pub and the local community. We offer consistency, and make our customers feel valued. We know our customers' names; they're not just a number - and it's that personal touch that makes all the difference."

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: "Kelly and Ashley are a real credit to the industry - their hard work and passion shines through and they've done Yorkshire proud with this amazing achievement."