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People wanting to see their favourite place to eat or drink honoured for a prestigious award have just a few more days to get their nominations in. Businesses have until Friday 25 July to get their applications in for the 2008 Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards but members of the public wanting to nominate their favourite places must do so by Tuesday 1 July. The awards, which are being held at Thornbridge Hall, Ashford-in-the-Water on Thursday 25 September, are run by Derbyshire County Council and are now in their seventh year. Celebrity chef Brian Turner will present the awards with county council cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Geoff Carlile, and East Midlands Today presenter Dominic Heale will speak at the ceremony. Entries are invited from any catering business serving locally produced food and drink or any customer. Categories this year are: - Restaurant of the Year
- Pub of the Year
- Bistro of the Year
- Coffee House of the Year
- Best International Restaurant
- Local Food Hero
- Best Restaurant within an Attraction
The awards are being sponsored by Derbyshire Life magazine, with other sponsors being the Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership, the Alliance SSP and Royal Crown Derby. Venues are judged on a number of criteria including the quality of food and drink, customer service and use of county produce with acknowledgement of it on its menus. In each category there will be a winner and a highly commended, and there is a new award this year for Derbyshire's best international restaurant. The awards are judged by an independent panel of food specialists and once all the entries are in a shortlist will be drawn up. Each of the shortlisted venues will be visited secretly by one of the judges before the winners and runners-up are selected. Councillor Carlile said: "If people have had a good experience at a Derbyshire restaurant, café or pub we're hoping they'll help spread the word and nominate their favourite place for one of our awards. "Time's running out though and people should get their nominations to us by Tuesday 1 July so the place or person they've nominated can be in the running." Councillor Carlile added: "We believe the awards are an excellent way for food and drink establishments across Derbyshire to showcase their top quality businesses and produce and we are sure the awards will prove as popular as ever." People wanting to nominate a business must get their nominations in to County Hall by Tuesday 1 July. They should send them to: Steph Walsh, international/tourism officer
Derbyshire County Council
County Hall
Matlock
Derbyshire
DE4 3AG Tel: 01629 585964
email: stephanie.walsh@derbyshire.gov.uk. Businesses have until Friday 25 July to get their applications in to the county council. Media enquiries only to Mandy Cann on 01629 585032 or email mandy.cann@derbyshire.gov.uk. |
