The family running a leading Shropshire hotel and wedding venue today dedicated their latest prestigious award win to “passionate, talented and dedicated hospitality workers across the UK” as the industry faces its most challenging time.

The team from The Hundred House in Norton, between Bridgnorth and Telford, scooped the ‘Best in Hospitality, Retail & Leisure’ Award at the Shropshire Business Awards on Friday night.

The Phillips family took the latest award as they marked 40 years in business.

Finance manager David Phillips said: “This is a poignant moment for us as we arrived in January 1986 when the hotel was closed and derelict. 

“After six months of intense restoration and development we served our first pint of beer on 4th July . To still be winning such prestigious awards 40 years later is fabulous and exciting.”

Independent judges visited the hotel and named them as the winners based on their customer service, business performance, staff development, innovation and community impact.

Managing Partner Stuart Phillips said his team was bucking the national trend during what was a very difficult time for the hospitality industry and he wished to dedicate the award to “those business owners and their teams across the UK who are working day and night to ensure they stay open.”

Stuart, who runs The Hundred House with his brother David, father Henry and his wife Jo, said: “There is no doubt the hospitality industry has never been as difficult as it is today.

“We know fellow hoteliers and restaurateurs across the UK are fighting to stay afloat and knowing how difficult it is, made us realise that this award isn’t just for us here at The Hundred House but represents everyone across the hospitality industry who works so hard with such passion, talent and dedication.

“To be able to mark 40 years in business is phenomenal. We’ve had to ensure the offering was right every step of the way, we’ve had to invest - both financially and in training - to ensure we have the right people doing the right roles in the business.

“Recruitment is difficult but we hope awards, like this latest one, demonstrate that the industry is worth fighting for and an industry which should be considered as an exciting career.”

Over the past year alone, the venue welcomed more than 21,000 restaurant guests and hosted over 150 weddings and events. 

Recent investment exceeding £800,000 has included the creation of a state-of-the-art restaurant kitchen and the construction of a new oak-framed events space, The Garden Room, designed to strengthen the venue's year-round appeal and future-proof the business. The project involved up to 20 contractors on site each day and was project-managed by Stuart, transforming the venue's events offering and securing its long-term future in an increasingly challenging hospitality market.

Stuart added: “Hospitality is all about people, so this recognition belongs to our entire team, many of whom have been with us for years and have helped shape the business into what it is today.

"This year marks our 40th anniversary, so winning such a respected local business award makes it even more special. We are incredibly grateful to our guests, wedding couples, customers and staff for their continued support.

“Alongside investment in facilities, we continue to invest heavily in our team. Flexible working arrangements, apprenticeships, leadership training and professional development opportunities have contributed to exceptionally low staff turnover, with several team members having worked at the venue for decades.”

The award adds to an already remarkable period of recognition for the business. Recent accolades include Best Events Team in the UK at The Wedding Industry Awards, multiple regional wedding venue awards, customer service awards and more than 5,000 five-star reviews across online platforms.

For more information visit https://www.hundredhouse.co.uk/