Hospitality Awards celebrate region’s finest

MORE than 250 people last night attended an awards ceremony to celebrate the best culinary and hospitality skill across the north’s  food, drink and hotel sectors.

The fifth annual Northern Hospitality Awards, held at the Hilton hotel in Manchester, saw four of the nine awards go to North West companies. 

Peter Papprill, the persona behind Pendrills & The Cheese Detective in Cheshire, won the coveted special achievement title.

He said: “It is great that our mission to find the finest artisan cheese makers from across the North West and the UK has been recognised at this high level.”

Michael Magrane, of The Midland Hotel in Manchester, won the award for best general manager, while Liverpool’s Hope Street Hotel scooped the best hotel gong.

Manchester’s Corridor won the award for best bar.

Ian Morgan, proprietor of Corridor, said: “It’s fantastic to receive this level of recognition for Corridor. Winning Best Bar is testament to the work we have undertaken to make Corridor the success it has become.”

Thom Hetherington, managing director of Moorfield Media, which organises the awards, said: “The calibre of entries this year has been exceptionally high and I know that our judges were faced with quite a challenge when selecting the winners.

“I would like to congratulate both the winners, the finalists as well as all those who entered the awards: it is really encouraging to see such passion and enthusiasm and I hope that the North continues to shine in the hospitality industry.”

Other winners were:

Best Restaurant – Greens Restaurant & Bistro, Whitby

Best Pub – The Feathers Inn, Stocksfield, Northumbria

Best Newcomer – Van Zeller, Harrogate

Best Wine Offering – The Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire

Best Chef – James Mackenzie, The Pipe and Glass Inn, Beverley