Foxton Locks Inn named Leicestershire Tourism Pub of the Year 2014

The owners and staff at Foxton Locks Inn are celebrating being named Tourism Pub of the Year in the Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards held at the Mercure Grand Hotel.

Foxton Locks Inn shared the top honours on the night with city centre bar The Exchange.

Now in their 4^th year, the awards celebrate excellence in the region, with accolades for local visitor attractions, accommodation providers, restaurants and events. The pub’s entry was also commended for their commitment to regular staff training, use of local suppliers, community involvement and high standards of customer service.

“We have put a lot of hard work into making Foxton Locks Inn a great place to visit, so I am delighted to have that formally recognised by experts in the industry,” comments owner Stephanie Hamblin. “We are fortunate to have a fantastic  waterside location which attracts visitors from Leicester and beyond, as well as our loyal local customers. However, maintaining a great standard of food and drink is crucial to our success and we ensure that we use high quality ingredients, locally sourced where possible.”

After a three year period of closure, the pub was renovated and re-opened when it was bought by the Hamblin family in 2005. Owner Stephanie has just completed another £150,000 refurbishment which includes internal redecoration, new furniture and the building of a large glass enclosed terrace with underfloor heating to facilitate year round use.

“We are thrilled with the latest renovation, particularly with our new terrace area which looks absolutely stunning when candle lit at night and offers great views of the canal,” Stephanie adds. “We wanted to really make the most of our location and believe that the terrace will be a fantastic addition that our customers will love.”

Foxton Locks was named one of the ‘30 great spots on the canals’ by The Times newspaper in 2013, with Foxton Locks Inn cited as one of the best places to eat, recommended specifically for its casseroles and pies.

The awards were organised by Leicester Shire Promotions, the tourism organisation for Leicester and Leicestershire. The company works in partnership with Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, VisitEngland and the local tourism industry to deliver campaigns and services to attract more visitors to the city and county.