Limited reward for hospitality in Birthday Honours

Hospitality, one of the UK's biggest industries and employers, received scant recognition in the Queen's Birthday Honours list announced on Saturday.

The only knighthood went to Brian Stewart, chairman of Scottish & Newcastle (S&N). There were CBEs for chef Brian Turner, for services to tourism and training in the catering industry, and for Ian Dudson, chief executive of tableware manufacturer Dudson, for services to the ceramics industry.

Turner saw it as a "privilege" to be singled out for recognition from the many working to raise standards in the hospitality trade, but added that he felt the industry was under-represented.

"Lots of things I have done are team efforts," he said. "It's a shame so few people from the industry were honoured. Quite a few more deserve recognition."

Stewart said he was "absolutely delighted" and felt it was "a reflection of the success of S&N in becoming one of the leading international brewers in Europe".

Services to tourism earned OBEs for Michael Green, former chairman of Southern Tourist Board; Christine Collier, chief executive of Cumbria Tourist Board, and David Lunn, for his work on the English Tourism Council.

by Angela Frewin