Over 800 people working in all areas of the licensed trade were in attendance, from publicans to brewers, drinks marketers to caterers, stock takers and licensed trade accountants to name a few.

BII CEO Mike Clist commented, “the unique service that our members provide to their communities is something to be extremely proud of – the Summer Event is a true celebration of the licensed retail sector today and the inspirational people that devote their lives to it.”

Among our fantastic sponsors on the day were Sky, Fevertree, St Austell, Fullers, Old Mout  and Carlsberg, who provided guests with plenty of beverages and entertainment.

A Latin band kept the mood lively, and an outdoor putting green (pictured below) made the perfect ice breaker for those networking and looking to make meaningful industry contacts.

At midday, attendees were invited to enjoy an exquisite three course meal, with further refreshments and samples provided by our sponsors.

Stand up comedian Lucy Porter provided a brilliant burst of entertainment before BII's CEO Mike Clist took the stage - awarding several individuals with the lifetime recognition of Companion Member of the BII.

With a sense of anticipation almost tangible amongst the crowd of guests, Managing Director of Sky Business, David Rey, joined Mike on stage to present the Licensee of the Year Award finalists with their trophies - and at last announce the winner. Alex & Tanya Williams from The Polgooth Inn, St Austell, Cornwall were ecstatic to receive their award and were met with hearty applause and congratulations (more information on the award can be found here).

With the formalities of the event now at an end, guests headed out to enjoy the entertainment and pop up bars for what remained of the afternoon. At 5pm the venue was set to close it's doors having successfully completed another Summer Event - though this didn't spell the end of the revelry for our guests, with many continuing on to nearby pubs and bars in the area. 

If you are interested in attending as a guest or supplying products for the Summer Event in 2019, get in touch with the team at: events@bii.org