Tadcaster Pub Company, which in three years has acquired 50 pubs, has been highly commended at a prestigious national awards ceremony.

The Publican Awards recognise the most talented companies and individuals in the pub trade and the results were announced at a glittering dinner at London's Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

James Crawfurd-Porter, managing director of Tadcaster Pub Company, said he and his staff were delighted with the result.

"As a very young company we thought we had done exceptionally well to reach the final of our category for tenanted and leased pub companies so we are extremely proud of our high commendation," he said.

"Highly-commended places were awarded in only five of the 18 categories in the awards which makes us believe we were just a cat's whisker away from scooping the top prize.

"It's an incredible result for a first attempt at the awards and we're confident that the unique management style of Tadcaster Pub Company will secure us the number one spot next time we enter."

Tadcaster Pub Company, which already owns the Star Inn at Huby, the Lord Nelson at Thirsk, the Turks Head at Ripon and the Durham Hotel in Scarborough, plans to buy another 15 establishments this year.

It will represent a new surge of multi-million pound buying by company chairman Jim Walsh, who sold the 75-pub Commer Inns group to the Punch Pub Company in December 2001 before immediately starting his new venture in the same building in Commer House, Station Road, Tadcaster.

The category winner for 2005 at the Grosvenor House Awards was George Gale and Co, an independent family brewing and pub company based in Hampshire, founded in 1847.

Updated: 10:31 Friday, April 01, 2005