The latest Night Of The Stars event to honour Bristol’s hospitality heroes has been hailed the ‘biggest and best yet’ by organisers.
A record 400 guests descended on the city’s Ashton Gate sports stadium on 2 March for the fifth glittering gala to be organised by the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA). Together, they recognised and rewarded those who have gone the extra mile in support of the hospitality sector as it continues to recover from the impact of both Brexit and the pandemic despite the impact of soaring energy and fuel prices.
Raphael Herzog, Chair of the BHA, said: “It was wonderful to see so many people – a record crowd – at this year’s Night of the Stars, for a very welcome celebration of success. People are the most important asset in our businesses, and it is so gratifying to be able to recognise the many stars of our industry in and around Bristol. The judges had a harder time than ever deliberating over the nominations to choose the winners, and everyone who was nominated should feel proud – and be thanked – for all that they have achieved. I would like to extent my congratulations, once again, to all the winners and everyone else who was nominated for the awards.”
He continued: “While now based in Bristol, the winners come from all over the UK and Europe, showing the diverse and cosmopolitan nature of the talented teams working in our industry. I would also like to express our immense gratitude to our sponsors, without whom we would not have been able to stage this event and given our shining stars the recognition they have thoroughly earned. The support of our sponsors is a huge vote of confidence in all our hard-working teams.”
It was not just the award winners who had cause for celebration at the Night of the Stars event, as its annual raffle once again provided valuable support for a very worthy cause. This year’s raffle raised £3,503.60 for the Bristol Autism Support organisation, which is the BHA’s charity partner for 2023. The charity supports thousands of local families who are affected by autism, and the money raised at the Night of the Stars event will go towards support groups, information sessions for parents/carers and family events. To find out more about Bristol Autism Support, visit: www.bristolautismsupport.org
To find out more about the Bristol Hoteliers Association, visit: www.bristol-hoteliers.co.uk
Award Winners:
Green Initiative (sponsored by Sounds Commercial): Clayton Hotel Bristol City
Bright Idea & Best Innovation (sponsored by Limber): Nights’ Knights, Hotel du Vin Avon Gorge
Community Spirit (sponsored by 6 O’Clock Gin): De Vere Tortworth Court Team
Chef of the Year (sponsored by City of Bristol College): Eliza Brewer, Aztec Hotel & Spa (Photo Top Right)
Rising Star (sponsored by Bristol City Centre BID, Redcliffe & Temple BID and VisitWest): Nacho Puchol, The Bristol, Harbourside (Photo Middle Left)
Unsung Hero (sponsored by Molson Coors Beverage Company): Melanie Harden, De Vere Tortworth Court (Photo Bottom Right)
Employee of the Year, Heart of House (sponsored by Johnsons Hotel Linen): Nick Payne, The Bristol, Harbourside
Employee of the Year, Front of House (sponsored by Ashton Gate): Lara Venable, Clevedon Hall. (Photo Bottom Left)
Team of the Year (sponsored by Entegra): Housekeeping and Maintenance Team, Holiday Inn
Headline Sponsors:
Sounds Commercial, 6 O’Clock Gin, Ashton Gate, Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District, Redcliffe & Temple BID & VisitWest, City of Bristol College, Entegra, Johnsons Hotel Linen, Limber, Molson Coors Beverage Company
