'This is really an award for my whole team'

UKHospitality's Kate Nicholls has been given the AA very first Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award, as a small thanks for her and her team's advocacy on behalf of hospitality businesses.

Following on the AA's new Rosettes announcement last week, today it awarded Red Stars to the following UK and Ireland hotels: 11 Cadogan Gardens, which received awarded the maxium five Red Stars, The Forest Side  in Grasmere, Cumbria got four, as did Linthwaite House in Windermere, also in Cumbria, and The Swan in Southwold. Three Red Stars were also awarded to THE PIG at Bridge Place in Canterbury.

In a statement, the AA explained that the new Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award was created "to reflect and acknowledge the work being done in the face of new challenges being presented to the hospitality industry by the COVID-19 pandemic."

It will come as no surprise to anyone in the industry that Kate Nicholls and her team at UKHospitality were the award's first recipients, as, the AA said, recognition for "her work supporting the industry and lobbying on its behalf to Government throughout the pandemic.

Throughout the pandemic, Kate has led UKHospitality in bringing together the hospitality sector to codify messaging, lobby the Government for support and clear guidance, and helped introduce key guidelines and safety measures to allow the industry to operate within a constantly shifting landscape.

Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media said that Kate "has worked tirelessly to ensure the hospitality industry has a clear and unified voice, and that its concerns are heard at Government level.

"In the absence of our usual AA Hospitality Awards," he added, "it is an honour to be able to acknowledge Kate’s incredible support for the sector with the Oustanding Contribution to the Industry Award.” 

Upon receiving the award, Kate said she was “hugely honoured," and seized on the occasion "to thank the AA for the recognition of the tireless work, dedication and devotion that’s been taken by the whole UKHospitality team, because this is really an award for my whole team.

"I’d also like to thank all of the individual members of our industry who have been so supportive throughout our campaigning work with Government. Thank you, and I hope that we can look forward to a better 2021.”