NRB Top 50 power list 2019 revealed
The full list, which recognises the most influential operators in the North of England, was announced at the Northern Restaurant & Bar show in Manchester today (19 March).
Katona was one of three special award winners recognised for having enjoyed a particularly successful year. Her Mowgli concept, which was founded in Liverpool in 2014, has now expanded to several locations across the North and in Oxford, with new sites set to open in Cardiff, Sheffield and Leicester this year.
Also recognised with a special award were North Brew Company founders John Gyngell and Christian Townsley for their “level of sustained commercial and critical progress in 2018/19”, and Chris Hill, managing director of the New World Trading Company, who is credited with an “impressive roll-out” to more than six sites in the last year.
“It’s been another strong year for the North’s leading operators, driving the industry forward with a balance of expansion, innovation and consolidation,” says Thom Hetherington, CEO of organisers Holden Media.
“Recent data from CGA show that the restaurant and bar scene in the major Northern cities is far outperforming London, and I think that a combination of lower costs and a better lifestyle mean more and more operators are choosing to build their businesses in the North.”
Kuits NRB Top Fifty 2019 (listed alphabetically by surname and grouped by company)
Adele Ashley, Owner, Filmore & Union
Paul Askew, Chef Patron, The Art School
Rob Bacon, Executive Chef Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Jason Bligh, Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Neil McDonnell, Managing Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
John Welsh, Operations Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
James Baer, Managing Director, Amber Taverns
Gary Roberts, Operations Director, Amber Taverns
NEW ENTRY - Richard Bailey, Director, Daniel Thwaites
Craig Bancroft, Managing Director, Northcote
Lisa Goodwin Allen, Executive Chef, Northcote
Tim Bird, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars
Mary Mclaughlin, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars
Ken Buckley, Managing Director, Bravo Inns
Phil Dearden, Finance Director, Bravo Inns
Sarah Cook, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Harry Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Oliver Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Morgan Davies, Founder / CEO, Barburrito
Carlo Distefano, Chairman, San Carlo Group
Marcello Distefano, Managing Director, San Carlo Group
NEW ENTRY - Sean Donkin, Managing Director, Inn Collection Group
Ian Goulding, Chairman, Inn Collection Group
Keith Liddell, Executive Deputy Chairman, Inn Collection Group
NEW ENTRY - Jane Dowler, Founder, Evuna
Roy Ellis, Director, Mission Mars
Neil Macleod, Director, Mission Mars
Joel Wilkinson, Director, Mission Mars
Adelaide Winter, Director, Mission Mars
John Ennis, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Matthew, Farrell, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Jobe Ferguson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Lyndon Higginson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Ross Mackenzie, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Kit Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Charles Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Dani Hope, Sales & Marketing Director, Lake District Hotels
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER - John Gyngell, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company
Christian Townsley, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company
Jamie Hawksworth, Owner, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
Jonathon Holdsworth, Founder, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER - Chris Hill, CEO, New World Trading Company
James Hitchen, Founder, East Coast Concepts
Guy Hitchen, Founder, East Concepts
Chris Hopkins, MD, Hydes Brewery
Marko Husak, Founder, Bundobust
Mayur Patel, Founder, Bundobust
NEW ENTRY - Adam Jones, Managing Director, Tattu
Drew Jones, Marketing Director, Tattu
Matthew Jones, Managing Director, Roxy Leisure
Ben Jones, Managing Director, Concept Taverns
Ashley Kollakowski, Rose Four Group
Simon Stevens, Rose Four Group
Barry Ladhar, Crafted Projects
Michael Ladhar, Crafted Projects
NEW ENTRY - Bob Lawson, Chairman, Ossett Brewery Pub Company
Jamie Lawson, Owner, Ossett Brewery Pub Company
Terry Laybourne, Owner, 21 Hospitality Group
William Lees Jones, Managing Director, JW Lees
Simon Lees Jones, Director, JW Lees
NEW ENTRY - Daniel Murphy, Director, Gracious Development Group
Ryan McMahon, Director, Gracious Development Group
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER - Nisha Katona, Founder, Mowgli Street Food
Tomas Maunier, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Robert Melman, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Paul Moran, Managing Director, Living Ventures
Jeremy Roberts, CEO, Living Ventures
Lucy Nelson, Sales & Marketing Director, Nelson Hotels
Andrew Nelson, Operations Director, Nelson Hotels
Joycelyn Neve, Managing Director, Seafood Pub Company
Andrew Pern, Owner / Executive Chef, The Star at Harome/Star Inn The City
Steve Pilling, Co Owner, Damson Group
RE-ENTRY - Rob Pitcher, CEO, Revolution Bars Group
Jonathan Poole, Director, Red and Blue
Paddy Smith, Director, Red and Blue
Simon Potts, Managing Director, The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
Oliver Robinson, Managing Director, Robinson’s Brewery
William Robinson, Director, Robinson’s Brewery
Simon Rogan, Co Owner, Umbel Restaurant Group
RE-ENTRY - Matt Snell, Managing Director, Gusto
Chris Soley, Chief Executive, Camerons Brewery
David Soley, Chairman, Camerons Brewery
Chris Ure, Owner, Arc Inspirations
Martin Wolstencroft, Managing Director / Owner, Arc Inspirations
Gary Usher, Owner, Elite Bistros
Steven Walker, CEO, Individual Restaurants
James Warburton, James’s Places
Andrew Wildsmith, Founder, Wildsmith Hotels
