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British Institute of Innkeeping

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
British Institute of Innkeeping
AbbreviationBII
NicknameBII
Formation1981[1]
TypeMembership organisation
Legal statusCharitable
HeadquartersFleet, Hampshire[2]
Region served
United Kingdom
Members13,500 (2026 estimate)
Chief Executive Officer
Steven Alton
AffiliationsBritish Institute of Innkeeping Awarding Body (BIIAB)
Websitewww.bii.org

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) is the professional body for individuals working in the licensed retail industry in the UK. This primarily includes pubs and bars.

Background

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The BII is a registered charity and membership organisation whose remit is to raise professional standards across the sector. BII is the trading name of the British Institute of Innkeeping a private company limited by guarantee and registered in England as a charity.[3]

Benefits

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The British Institute of Innkeeping offers memberships to individuals working across the licensed hospitality sector, including pub tenants, lessees, free traders and managers. Membership provides access to a range of professional support services, resources, and industry information intended to assist members.

Member benefits include access to specialist helplines[4] covering legal, licensing, employment, business rates, and health and safety. Members are also provided with business support resources, including staff contract templates[5], industry advice[6] and networking opportunities. The organisation also publishes regular updates on regulatory developments[7] and issues affecting the pub and licensed hospitality sector.

Accredited Advisors

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The BII developed a scheme, Accredited Advisors[8], to ensure that members are getting tailored pub-sector support across various areas of legal areas when it comes to running a pub. These, as of 2026, are Accountants, Building Surveyors, Chartered Surveyors, Fixture's and Fitting's Valuers, and Solicitors.

To be considered an Accredited Advisor, all advisors are interviewed to ensure they have a good understanding of the Pubs Code[9] and Sub 500 Code (Codes of Practice)[10], as well as being a part of the relevant professional body to the field, have indemnity insurance, and are currently active in the pub sector with appropriate experience.

BII Training

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In February 2023, the BII launched their Pre-Entry Awareness Course[11] for prospective tenants/lessees who are considering signing a pub tenancy or lease agreement in England and Wales or Scotland. For pubs apart of the Pubs Code, the Pubs Code Adjudicator[12] advises that all pub companies must "advise prospective tenants who do not have prior experience to complete pubs entry training, which raises awareness of the matters involved in operating a pub and entering into a tied agreement. Pub companies offer their own training, and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) offers a Pre-Entry Awareness Training (PEAT) course".[13]

BII Training officially launched in 2024 with the release of their Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holder (APLH) course.[14]

BII Events & Awards

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Licensee of the Year (LOYA)

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The Licensee of the Year (LOYA) award started in early 2000, recognising individuals and partnerships who demonstrate excellence in running successful, community-focused pub businesses.[15]

According to BII, the competition assesses entrants across the areas of customer experience, business performance, leadership, marketing, sustainability, staff development and community engagement. The judging process involves mystery customer visits, business audits, and interviews.[15]

The Licensee of the Year competition usually opens for entries in January each year. With the winner being crowned in June at the BII Summer Event.[16][17]

Previous LOYA Winners
Year Licensee Pub Postcode
2026 Eamonn England & Arina Piskunova[18] The Windsor Castle N2 8DL
2025 Mike Dove & Tommy Higgs[19] Three Horseshoes OX28 6NB
2024 Justine Lorriman[20] The Royal Dyche BB11 3BW
2023 Joe Buckley & Flo Pearce[21] The Tollemache Arms NN6 9NU
2022 Nick & Amanda Hemming[22] The Heron Inn TR1 1SL
2021 Chris & Jason Black[23] The Pityme Inn PL27 6PQ
2019 David Hage & Mark Osbourne[24] The Railway NG14 7DU
2018 Alex & Tanya Williams[25] The Polgooth Inn PL26 7DA
2017 Mark Higgs[26] The Castle OX15 6DJ

BII Summer Event

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The BII Summer Event[27] is a annual networking and celebration at The HAC, London in June of each year.

National Innovation and Training Awards (NITAs)

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The National Innovation in Training Awards (NITAs), taking place annually in November, showcases the individuals and businesses who put their people first, creating innovative training programmes and nurturing long term careers in the licensed trade.[28]

This award covers multiple categories related to training. These categories can include Professional Trainer of the Year, Hospitality Apprentice of the Year, Wellbeing, Best Training Programmes.[29] These categories can change each year.

In addition to these categories, the NITAs also present the Franca Knowles: Live Your Life Award[30], a special memorial award founded by Keith Knowles OBE in memory of his late wife, Franca Knowles, whose passion for people and commitment to excellence left a lasting mark on the hospitality industry. The award recognises an individual who has gone above and beyond in their dedication to supporting, strengthening and championing the hospitality sector, often making a significant impact both behind the scenes and in the public eye.

People Conference

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The BII People Conference takes place, annually, in November. Throughout the day, a variety of speakers and panels discuss a range of topics all relating to the pub industry.[31]

Publications

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BII News

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The BII publishes BII News[32], a quarterly magazine for it's members covering industry news, operator interviews and best practices for licensees. It has been published since 1998 and is available in print and digital formats to members.

Industry Reports

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The BII has published multiple industry reports[33], mostly in collaboration with KAM Insights, and member surveys on the UK pub sector, covering topics such as business conditions, workforce challenges, operating costs, and the impact of government policy.

References

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  1. ↑ "BII 25th Anniversary - BII History" (PDF). BII. 23 February 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2012.[permanent dead link]
  2. ↑ "Contact Us". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-05-07.
  3. ↑ Company number 1601185. Charity number 283945.
  4. ↑ "Helplines". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  5. ↑ "Staff Contract Builder". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  6. ↑ "Industry Advice". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  7. ↑ "Latest News". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  8. ↑ "Accredited Advisors". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  9. ↑ "Pubs Code". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  10. ↑ "Codes of Practice". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  11. ↑ "PEAT". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  12. ↑ "Pubs Code Adjudicator". www.pubscodeadjudicator.org.uk. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  13. ↑ "Thinking of taking on a tied pub | PCA". www.pubscodeadjudicator.org.uk. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  14. ↑ "APLH". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  15. 1 2 "Licensee of the Year". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  16. ↑ Warren, Gueniver (2026-01-12). "The British Institute of Innkeeping". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  17. ↑ "Summer Event". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  18. ↑ Pancheva, Teodora (2026-06-17). "The British Institute of Innkeeping". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  19. ↑ "The Three Horseshoes". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  20. ↑ "The Royal Dyche". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  21. ↑ "The Tollemache Arms". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  22. ↑ "The Heron Inn". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  23. ↑ "The Pityme Inn". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  24. ↑ "The Railway". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  25. ↑ "The Polgooth Inn". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  26. ↑ "The Castle". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  27. ↑ "Summer Event". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  28. ↑ "NITAs". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  29. ↑ "NITAs Categories". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  30. ↑ "NITAs Categories". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  31. ↑ "People Conference". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  32. ↑ "BII News Magazine". British Institute of Innkeeping. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  33. ↑ "Pub Roadmap 2026". KAM. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
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