The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has announced Eamonn England and Arina Piskunova of The Windsor Castle in East Finchley as the winners of its prestigious Licensee of the Year Award (LOYA) 2026.

In partnership with Sky Business, the Licensee of the Year competition is widely regarded as the most rigorous and hard-fought award for individual licensee operators in the UK. Since January 2026, operators from across the country have been whittled down from a field of more than 800 nominations, all competing to be crowned the next BII Licensee of the Year.

The six finalists were selected based on their community impact, support for their teams, commitment to sustainability, plans for diversification and the qualities that make great pubs such an important part of communities across the UK.

Following a final judging day at Sky Headquarters on 15 June, where each finalist faced three panels of industry experts and operators, Eamonn and Arina were named this year's champions.

The judges praised the pair's collaborative approach, commitment to their team and local community, and forward-thinking plans to secure the future success of their business. They were crowned winners at the BII Summer Event on 16 June at The HAC in London, where the industry's achievements were celebrated in front of almost 900 guests.

Steve Alton, Chief Executive of the BII, commented: “I’d like to offer a massive congratulations to the brilliant Eamonn and Arina, on behalf of myself and the whole team here at the BII, including our fantastic judges. This is the most rigorous and intense competition in our industry, so I would also like to congratulate our other wonderful finalists on this incredible achievement. Despite the challenges our sector continually faces, we saw incredible commitment, talent and attitude from all our finalists, proving once again how much the great British pub has to offer in every community across the UK.

"Eamonn and Arina’s leadership, innovation and dedication as relatively new operators in the pub sector are simply inspirational. They represent everything that is uniquely brilliant about our industry, and we can’t wait to share the excellence and experience from them, and all our finalists, over the coming year.”

John Blackley, Commercial Manager of The Pub Show, said: “The BII Licensee of the Year Award shines a spotlight on some of the very best operators in the UK pub industry, and this year's finalists have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their businesses, teams and communities. Congratulations to Eamonn England and Arina Piskunova on their well-deserved win, and to all six finalists whose achievements reflect the innovation, resilience and passion that continue to make the pub sector such a vital part of the hospitality industry.”

The BII also thanked everyone who entered this year's competition, recognising the resilience, determination and commitment to excellence demonstrated by operators across the sector.

Eamonn and Arina were selected from an outstanding group of finalists that also included James and Charlotte Foy of The White Horse, Linda Cole of The Berkley Arms, Micky Foden-Andrews of The Swan, Nigel Smith of The Fleece Inn, and Sonia Labatut of The Plough. All six finalists were recognised for their contribution to their teams, businesses and local communities throughout the competition.

The Licensee of the Year Award will return in January 2027, continuing its mission to celebrate the very best individual licensee operators from across the UK.