Lancashire’s Seafood Pub Company has beaten off competition from some nationally recognised brands to be named the R200 Pub Company of the Year.

The R200 Awards are designed to celebrate the progress and achievements of the top 200 restaurant group operators in the UK.

Restaurant Magazine’s R200 Club is made up of the UK’s leading restaurant group operators, defined by number of sites. They collectively account for more than £2bn of sales annually.

In a category which included Brew Dog and New World Trading Co, part of Living Ventures, the Seafood Pub Company’s Executive Chef, Antony Shirley was presented with the award at L’Anima Café in London.

Managing director of the Seafood Pub Company, Joycelyn Neve, said: “This is a massive achievement for all of our team and something we couldn’t have done without their commitment and passion for what we believe in.

“We have worked hard over the past four years to succeed in our vision of delivering the best quality ingredients in a relaxed and accessible way across all of our venues.

“We know that we offer our customers something special, and we know that they love it, but to have this recognised by some prestigious awards is excellent news.

“We are really proud of all of the local and national accolades we have achieved, but for us to be recognised in the same company of some huge brand names at the R200 awards has capped off a fantastic few months for the Seafood Pub Company.”

This month the Seafood Pub Company officially opened the Barley Mow in Pendle after a complete transformation. The Barley Mow has become the first in a new division of pubs for the Seafood Pub Company; Pub Co - where the emphasis lies in being a proper pub.

Other sites in the Seafood Pub Company group are The Oyster and Otter in Feniscowles, Blackburn; The Assheton Arms in Downham, Clitheroe; The Fenwick in Claughton, Lancaster; the Farmers Arms in Great Eccleston, Fylde and the Derby Arms in Thornley, Longridge.