Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards, 2008
PUBLISHED: 19:05 29 January 2010 | UPDATED: 09:52 20 February 2013

Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards
Over 340 personalities, guests and representatives from The Cotswold Food, Drink and Hospitality Industry celebrated the 6th Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards sponsored by Warners Budgens last July.
Over 340 personalities, guests and representatives from The Cotswold Food, Drink and Hospitality Industry celebrated the 6th Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards sponsored by Warners Budgens last July.
The fabulous occasion was held at the Beaufort Polo Club and catered for by Williams Kitchen at Calcot, who had guests tucking into a 4 course gastronomic feast of Cotswold produce washed down with local wines, beers, juices and cordials all from a region so rich in quality produce.
What are now commonly regarded as the Food and Drink Oscars for the region heralded a new era for the local food scene with thousands of nominations, whittled down to 3 finalists for each of the 14 awards. This year saw a mixture of some favourite "classic" Cotswold businesses such as Williams Fish Market and Food Hall in Nailsworth, and Three Choirs Vineyard in Newent. However there were many new food and drink producers, pubs, hotels and restaurants establishing a great reputation for their quality appearing month by month.
Uniquely The Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards bring together the full network of the food industry from farm to fork.
Event Organiser, Gemma Butland from Commstar Ltd, said "This years awards have been more exciting than ever. It always astounds me, even 6 years on, how so many new producers pop onto the food scene. The Cotswolds are something to be really proud of, and this years' event showcased some of the very best this region has to offer".
The Categories and Winners at last year's awards were:
Retailer of the Year
Winner: Olivas. Painswick
Runners up:
Green Spirit. Nailsworth
Williams Fish Market & Food Hall. Nailsworth
Best Farm Shop of Year
Winner: Primrose Vale Farm Shop. Bentham, Cheltenham
Runners up:
Old Farm Dorn. Moreton in Marsh
Wotton Farm Shop. Wotton under Edge
Best Organic Producer of the Year
Winner: Jess's Ladies Organic Milk. Gloucester
Runners up:
Shipton Mill. Tetbury
CotswoldOrganic.co.uk. Moreton in Marsh
Most Innovative Product of the Year
Winner: The Country Monkey 'Trail Mix'. Cirencester
Runners up:
Three Choirs Vineyard 'Adopt a Vine'. Newent
Taylerson's Malmesbury Syrups. Oaksey
Best Food Producer of the Year
Winner: Great Farm Chickens. Whelford
Runners up:
Cotswold Meringues. Nailsworth
The Country Monkey. South Cerney
Best Drinks Producer of the Year
Winner: Uley Brewery. Uley
Runners up:
Bow in the Cloud Vineyard. Garsdon
Cotswold Country Liqueurs. Arlingham
Best School Food Award
Winner: 'Munch'Hillesley Primary School. Nr Wotton under Edge
Runners up:
Thomas Keeble School. Eastcombe
Blockley C of E Primary School. Moreton in Marsh
Most Improved Farmers' Market of the Year
Winner: Gloucester Farmers' Market. The Cross & Southgate Street, Gloucester
Runners up:
Cirencester Farmers' Market. Market Place, Cirencester
Bourton on the Water Farmers' Market. Countrywide Stores, Bourton
Most Distinctive Local Menu
Winner: The Ormond at Tetbury
Runners up:
Brosh. Cheltenham
St Michaels Restaurant. Painswick
Dining Pub of the Year
Winner: The Kingham Plough. Kingham
Runners up:
The Horse & Groom Village Inn. Upper Oddington
The Village Pub. Barnsley
Country Pub of the Year
Winner: The Green Dragon Inn. Cockleford, Nr Cowley
Runners up:
Ye Olde Hobnails Inn. Little Washbourne, Nr Tewkesbury
The Horse & Groom. Bourton on the Hill
Chef of the Year
Winner: Marcus Ashenford @ No. 5 North Street. Winchcombe
Runners up:
Martin Blunos @ The Reservoir Inn. Cheltenham
Emily Watkins @ The Kingham Plough. Kingham
Restaurant of the Year
Winner: The Curry Corner. Cheltenham
Runners up:
Fosse Manor Hotel. Stow on the Wold
Juliana's at Cotswold House Hotel. Chipping Campden
Local Food Personality of the Year
Alex James & Juliet Harbutt