The owners of a North Yorkshire country pub are in celebratory mood despite lockdown, after scooping a major tourism Oscar – its third title this year.
And being crowned Best Pub in the Welcome to Yorkshire’s White Rose Tourism Awards, makes 2020 a year The Drovers Arms, at Skipwith, will remember for the right reasons.
In March, just after the start of the first national coronavirus lockdown, it won the Tourism/Leisure Business of the Year Award in the Selby District Business Awards 2020.
A month later, The Drovers picked up its second gong when it was named Pub of the Year in the 2020 Visit York Tourism Awards.
Owned and managed by MATTGRAY Hospitality, the restaurant and country pub is renowned for its friendly atmosphere, as well as the locally-sourced homemade food and a collection of over 70 gins.
MATTGRAY Hospitality Managing Director Graham Usher said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that The Drovers has been named Best Pub in this year’s White Rose Tourism Awards.
“Whilst everyone will agree 2020 has been an absolute shocker – and coronavirus has dealt the pub sector a particularly cruel blow – we have a reason to smile and to celebrate.
“Being shortlisted for these prestigious awards was brilliant news, but winning the category is the crowning glory. The shame is that due to the pandemic all the awards ceremonies were held virtually, meaning we couldn’t share in the hat-trick of successes with our fantastic team.
“For us 2020 will go down as a year to forget at the same time as being a year to remember.”
Graham added: “Covid has been an incredible challenge not just for us, but for the whole hospitality industry.
“However, it taught us to be resourceful and our take-away and delivery service, resurrected during this latest lockdown, has ensured our very survival.
“And now we are ‘The Best Pub’ in Yorkshire we have a lot to live up to.
“We are very much looking forward to reopening next week and doing what we do best – serving great food and real ales drinks, all delivered by a superb team who understand the meaning of customer care.”
