CASTLE Howard emerged with top honours at the first Deliciouslyyorkshire Awards for Excellence last night.

The glamorous event at Hazlewood Castle, near Tadcaster, was organised by the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber (RFGYH) to reward the best of the many businesses that demonstrate commitment to the food of the region.

The Castle Howard shop, near Malton, was awarded the best regional retailer accolade.

The judges, including Karen Carlyle, the RFGYH executive director, Jonathan Sands, chairman of Elmwood Designs, and Karen Todd, Asda's local sourcing manager, praised Castle Howard's commitment to local food as "outstanding".

Apart from stocking

items from more than 60 regional producers, the Castle Howard shop "supports

rare breeds and game, using traditional methods of

production", they said.

The judging panel added: "Products are chosen to sell to both the local community and visitors. It is clean and well laid out. Staff are friendly

and knowledgeable and the marketing materials are of a high standard."

Joint runners up in the

category were The Balloon Tree at Stamford Bridge, which is already a finalist in the Growth Business of the Year and Retailer of the Year categories of the 2005 Evening Press Business Awards, and Farmer's Cart in Towthorpe, which earned the top award in the Evening Press Eat Local campaign.

Weeton's of Harrogate received a special mention. Opened by Andrew Loftus in West Park, just off the Stray last August, he hoped to use the 3,000 sq ft store to "reconnect customers with local food producers and farmers and restore integrity to the food chain".

The Chocolate Factory, run by brothers Gareth and Chris East in Hutton-Le-Hole, was also among the runners up

in the best marketing and promotional performance

category.

Other major winners in North Yorkshire included Jurg and Jane Bleiker, whose Bleikers Smoke House at Glasshouses, near Pateley Bridge, scooped the performance of 2005 in trade development title.

The couple started Bleikers Smoke House in 1993 after 21 years at the Old Deanery Restaurant in Ripon and now offer a sumptuous selection of smoked goods, including sausages, salmon, kippers, duck and black pudding.

Green's Restaurant of Whitby scooped the best regional food in a menu

accolade, offering a wide choice of local produce

from land and sea. All fresh ingredients used were local, said the judges.

Updated: 11:20 Wednesday, November 02, 2005