THE group behind a popular hotel and restaurant in North Yorkshire is up for a hat-trick of awards.

The Inn Collection Group, which last year bought The Black Swan Hotel in Helmsley and also runs The Stables at Crossbutts, Whitby is on the shortlist for three categories in the prestigious Publican Awards, which champion the very best operators in the pub industry.

They are in the running for Best Accommodation Operator and Best Managed Pub Company, as well as looking to retain the sought-after title of Best Pub Employer, an award the group has held for a record two consecutive years.

The Black Swan dates back over 500 years and retains much of the architectural style of the Tudor, Elizabethan and Georgian periods, and has four themed parlour rooms, landscaped walled gardens with heated gazebo, an award- winning restaurant, tearoom and patisserie, as well as 45 guest bedrooms.

Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group said: “It’s pretty amazing being shortlisted for these awards. To reach the finals in three categories is a real boost in these difficult times, as the sector continues to be hard-hit by the ongoing pandemic.

“More so, it’s a fitting tribute to the extraordinary team we have at The Inn Collection Group who display time after time their resilience, passion to succeed and agility to adapt, evolve and deliver.

“It’s down to each and every member of our team that the company continues to overcome adversity and that we push together to be the best as one, without losing sight of the reason why we do what we do – and that’s giving our customers the best possible experience when they eat, drink, sleep and explore from our inns.

“We will continue to reinvest in our staff with the latest innovations in training and supporting their well-being throughout these difficult times. We are continuing to carry out exciting refurbishments and upgrades across our inns and investing in the environments and communities we operate within, so we emerge from lockdown in a strong position that is ready to go from the outset – hopefully with some premium new silverware in the cabinet, too.”

A panel of judges made up of leading industry experts will start the second stage of the judging process, conducting virtual head office visits to assess finalists before Dragon’s Den style panel interviews conclude the judging process.

An online evening awards ceremony on Tuesday, March 30 will replace the usual Publican Awards ceremony at Battersea Evolution in London.