Award is served up for pub team

Judges hailed The Seafood Pub Company food offer as ‘quality, creative, colourful, different, versatile and value for money’.

The firm, which has 11 sites across Lancashire and Yorkshire, scooped the award for Best Food Offer at The Publican Awards in Battersea, London.

Managing director, Joycelyn Neve, was born and bred in Blackpool and is the daughter of Chris Neve, a well-known figure in the fishing industry in Fleetwood and who masterminds the sourcing of the fish for the pubs.

Judges were looking for a pub company that delivered the best food offer across their estate, with food a key part of the company’s total sales and the Seafood Pub Company fit the bill perfectly.

Joycelyn Neve attended the ceremony to collect the award from comedian and presenter Rob Brydon.

She said: “This is the third time in four years we have been recognised in this award, which is an amazing accolade.

“It’s important that customers consider us the perfect hosts for the most special of occasions, but also relaxed and friendly enough for to pop in for a bit of supper when they just don’t feel like cooking that day or night.

“A pie and a pint is just as important as lobster and champagne to us and when we see both of these dishes being enjoyed by guests at the same table, we know we’ve done our job well.”

Wherever possible the company uses the North West’s and Yorkshire’s outstanding produce – fish in particular, such as plaice from Morecambe Bay, crabs and langoustines from Whitehaven and lobsters from the Fylde and Whitehaven, all sourced by Joycelyn’s dad Chris Neve.

She added: “Winning this award is testament to all of the team’s hard work.”

The company, which owns the Farmers Arms at Great Eccleston, reported last July that its turnover rose by 45 per cent after adding new pubs to its roster and saw revenues rise to £7.15m.