Burnley's The Royal Dyche pub landlady Justine Bedford named as Licensee of the Year by British Institute of Innkeeping

Justine Bedford, who runs The Royal Dyche, was named as the Licensee of the Year by the British Institute of Innkeeping.

“The news is still sinking it, I can’t quite believe it yet,” said Justine, who took over the reins of the pub 11 years ago. “But I love showcasing what I have done here at the pub and this is also a great opportunity to put Burnley on the map and show the town in a positive light.”

Justine was one of six finalists, whittled down from 300 nominations for the title. She was presented with the trophy at the BII summer event held at the HAC Royal Artillery Ground in London.

Justine added: “This has been an incredible experience from start to finish and I would like to thank everyone for their support. I am used to the media now with all the attention the pub gets, but standing up to speak in front of around 850 people was quite daunting.”

The judging process for the award was rigorous with each finalist subject to financial audits, face to face interviews and a visit from a ‘mystery’ judge. Pubs were judged on a range of different issues including their community impact, commitment to sustainability and plans for diversification. Justine said she made friends with the other finalists and she is looking forward to hosting them so she can show off the winning formula of the Royal Dyche.

The Yorkshire Street pub, which bears the name of the legendary former Clarets manager, regularly hosts bands and DJs and the annual Prinfest draws hundreds of music lovers every year. In 2023 the boozer was named as ‘The best pub to watch sports’ in the Great British Pub Awards.