By Luke Voogt
It was the tale of two sisters-in-law at the Lara Business Award Wednesday night with Little River Hotel taking out the top prize.
Owner Kylie Trotter was at the event with pub manager and sister-in-law Leann Trotter, and was thrilled at the recognition.
“It’s amazing for a little community pub to win when we’re up against all of Lara,” she said.
Leann Trotter said Little River’s “sense of community” clinched the win for the pub.
“It’s not very big, so we sort of know everybody and everybody knows us,” she said.
Kylie Trotter admitted she was shocked to win and nervous ahead of her acceptance speech.
“Behind the bar I can talk to anyone,” she said.
“But with a microphone… nope!”
Although in-laws, they get on great in the workplace, Kylie Trotter said.
“Leann deserves a gold medal for working with me, and another for marrying my brother.”
Leann Trotter said she loved her job and its “team environment”.
“If our customers are having fun, we’re having fun,” she said.
The award’s other contenders congratulated the pair, with few sly suggestions that the pub should hold an open bar to celebrate.
Kylie Trotter praised the other nominees and the hotel’s staff.
Lara District Community Bank chairman Andrew Hilliard said the awards recognised the “unheralded good” local businesses do for the community.
“When you go to other businesses awards, all they talk about is profit margins and growth. (These awards are) about community growth.”
