Moor Hall scoops special prize at NRB Top 50 hospitality power list

Lancashire’s Moor Hall, Manchester’s Nell’s Pizza and Cheshire Cat Pub group won special achievement awards in the annual Kuits NRB Top 50 hospitality power list.

The annual awards, which champion “the very best in northern hospitality” said the three-Michelin-starred hotel and restaurant “has firmly established the North West as a destination for exceptional culinary experiences”.

Chef-patron Mark Birchall said: “It’s been an incredible 12 months and, really, an incredible nine years. I feel like I’ve lived out every dream over that time, and last year was the icing on the cake. This award is really special, not just for me but for the whole team and for the North West.”

Husband-and-wife team Jonny and Charlotte Heyes scooped a special achievement award for New York-inspired pizza restaurant Nell’s, which opened a new site in Manchester’s Media City last year alongside outposts in Altrincham, the Northern Quarter and Chorlton.

Nell’s chief executive Jonny Heyes said: “Charlotte and I have dedicated the last 20 years to building this family business and we’ve been part of the NRB community for as long as I can remember. The past 18 months has been a busy time for us, with two new sites in Altrincham and MediaCity and to be recognised by our peers means the world to us.”

Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars co-founders Tim Bird and Mary McLaughlin scooped the third special prize for their seven-strong group of pubs across the North, including Cheshire outposts the Bulls Head and Cholmondeley Arms.

The pair said: “We’re incredibly proud to win this award and so proud of the whole team. It’s always been an honour just to be mentioned in the Top 50 in previous years, so to win the Special Achievement Award really is the pinnacle.

“It’s been a record year for Cheshire Cat and that’s entirely down to our fantastic team and the customers who continue to support us.”

Other establishments on the NRB’s Top 50 list include Kenny Atkinson’s Michelin-starred Newcastle restaurants House of Tides and Solstice alongside North Yorkshire’s Grantley Hall and the Tommy Banks Group.

The NRB Top 50

• Apartment Group
• Arc Inspirations
• Archies
• Bowland Inns & Hotels
• Bundobust
• Camerons Brewery
• Caspatron Ltd (New Entry)
• Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars (Special Achievement Award)
• Common & Co (Special Achievement Award)
• Cut & Craft, Lucia Restaurants (New Entry)
• Daniel Schofield, Joe Schofield & James Brandwood
• Daniel Thwaites
• Destination Dining Ltd (New Entry)
• Elite Bistros
• Fat Hippo
• Frederic Robinson
• Gilpin Hotel & Lake House
• Grantley Hall
• GSG Hospitality
• House of Tides/Solstice by Kenny Atkinson
• JW Lees
• Madre, Belzan, Medlock Canteen, Salon Madre
• Mission Mars
• Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms (Special Achievement Award)
• Mother Mercy
• Mowgli Street Food
• New World Trading Company
• Northcote
• NQ64
• Orenda Hospitality
• Ossett Brewery Pub Company
• Pivovar Ltd
• Professionals At Play & Concept Taverns
• QVO Hospitality
• Rockingham Group, Kelham Island Brewery & Leah’s Yard 
• San Carlo Group
• Seafood Pub Company
• Seven Bro7hers
• Shiko Group (New Entry)
• Southern Wind Group
• Stow, Trof
• Sukho Group (New Entry)
• The Alchemist
• The Inn Collection Group
• The Tommy Banks Group
• Tokyo Industries
• Tomahawk Steakhouse
• Umbel Restaurant Group
• Vaulkhard Group
• Zanna Group