26th October 2011

BRIDPORT: Local businesses sweep Taste of the West awards

GOLD, silver and bronze prizes have been bestowed upon a number of businesses in Bridport and the surrounding areas at the latest Taste of the West hospitality and retail awards.

Restaurants, pubs, tea rooms and retail outlets have all been recognised for their passion and dedication to exceptional service and locally sourced ingredients.

In the restaurant category it was the Riverside Restaurant at West Bay flying the flag for West Dorset, picking up another gold award.

There was more success for local businesses in the Dining Pub category with The New Inn, Stoke Abbott and The Three Horseshoes Inn, Powerstock, both claiming gold awards.

Judges heaped special praise on The New Inn, highlighting their “lovely, well written menu with a great range of interesting and unusual flavours”.

The George Inn in Chideock, picked up a silver award and Shave Cross Inn won a bronze award in the same category.

There were four gold Bridport winners in the café and tea room category, with Downhouse Farm Garden Café, Lula, Sladers Yard Café and the Green Yard Café all receiving the prestigious honour.

The Green Yard Café was praised by the judges for its menu, and meals that were “perfectly presented by people with incredibly high standards”.

Elizabeth McNeice, of the Green Yard Café, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won our fifth consecutive gold award. Every one works really hard at the Green Yard to make this possible, we don’t have outstanding views or location, it is all down to great service, fantastic home made food and, of course, not forgetting our local suppliers who give us such quality ingredients."

Nikki Exton, owner of Downhouse Farm Garden Café, was equally delighted to receive another gold award.

“We are so pleased that we have been given the Taste of the West gold award for the third year running,” she said.

“The award this year has been all the more important to us as we are still having problems getting our planning approval for the cafe. Thank you so much to all our loyal customers for all there support this season and we hope to see you all next year.”

Cousins Lucy Norman and Angela Heywood, who have run Lula Restaurant since 2008, said they were delighted to build on last year’s success, which saw Lula take Silver.

Chef Angela said: “Bridport is a great place to be working with food - we’re really fortunate to have a great range of local producers who supply delicious ingredients for us to work with”.

Sladers Yard were awarded were the other gold winners, picking up the top prize for the second year running.

Proprietor Anna Powell, said: “The gold award is a lovely reward for the hard work of all our cafe staff. It recognises the ideals of ethical food sourcing and the delicious food made by Jackie, Sharon and our new Italian chef, Chiara. Last year we were chuffed to bits to be given a gold and it is brilliant to be gold again this year.”

Washingpool Farm Shop were double winners at the awards, picking up bronze for the Farmers Kitchen and gold for their shop in the retail category. Felicity’s Farm Shop in Morcombelake were the other winners after claiming a bronze award.

Taste of the West Chief Executive, John Sheaves, commented, “We are absolutely delighted with this year’s awards results, not least because the judges have all told us that standards have definitely been raised this year.

“In particular, we are pleased with the number of new entrants who, in their first year, have gained awards, as well as those more established eateries who have consistently collected gold or silver awards every year.

“When you now look at the overall picture this is painting for our food and drink culture in the West Country and the contribution that this is making to the visitor experience, then we really have got something to be proud of here – well done to all the winners.”

Full details of the gold, silver and bronze hospitality and retail award winners can be found on the Taste of the West website - www.tasteofthewest.co.uk.

The best in category awards will be announced at the prestigious Taste of the West Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, November 1st.

WINNERS

Restaurant - Dorset: The Riverside Restaurant - Gold.

Dining Pub - Dorset: The New Inn Beaminster - Gold; Three Horseshoes Inn - Gold; The George Inn, Chideock - Silver; Shave Cross Inn - Bronze.

Café/Tea Room - Dorset: Downhouse Farm Garden Café - Gold; Lula - Gold ; Sladers Yard Café - Gold; The Green Yard Café - Gold; The Farmers Kitchen - Bronze.

Retail - Dorset: Washingpool Farm Shop - Gold; Felicity's Farm Shop - Bronze.

PICTURE 1: GOLD STANDARD - Sladers Yard head chef Jackie Spendlow with her freshly baked Dorset apple cake

PICTURE 2: GOING FOR GOLD - Lula restaurant won the gold award for the first time