Unsung heroes honoured at Manchester Hoteliers Association Awards
The winners have been crowned at this year’s coveted Manchester Hoteliers Association Awards 2012, which reward and recognise the many ‘unsung heroes’ within the Manchester hospitality industry.
The awards, now in their sixth year, had an unprecedented number of entries from hotels across the city, each vying for their place within four award categories, and a fifth ‘emerging talent’ award was also announced to the hotelier crowd.
Winners on the night were: Keaton McLure, from the Manchester College, Catering, in the ‘Emerging New Talent’ category; Lauren Yates, a receptionist, the Place Hotel, in the ‘New Star of the Year’; David Lane, house manager at MCC & Days Hotel/Weston Hall in the ‘Front of House’ category; Sam Stewart, junior sous chef, Hilton at Manchester Deansgate for the ‘Back of House’ category; and Davina Freelove, director of revenue at Radisson Blu Manchester Airport taking the ‘Howard Raynor Lifetime Achiever’ award.
Tracy Waddacor, one of the judges and managing director at World Class Service, said: “It has been a pleasure to take part in the process and see the passion, drive and determination in all of the finalists, but huge congratulations must go to each of the deserving winners on the night.
“They really do encapsulate our industry ethos to be the best they can be and I personally look forward to seeing how their careers move forward from this point,” she added.
With over 400 guests at the black tie ‘New York’ themed ball, the winners were announced at a glittering ceremony held at the newly refurbished Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel on Friday 2 November, where they received a specially commissioned Villeroy and Boch plate.
Over £22,500 was also raised for two charities on the night – local hospital the Christie, as well as the industry charity, Hospitality Action, which helps those within the hospitality industry who face their own serious challenges on a daily basis.
Image: (L-R) David Lane, Tracy Waddacor, Lauren Yates, Davina Freelove, Peter Cox, Keaton McLure, Sam Stewart and Stephen Miles.
