Ulster Regional Winners for the Irish Restaurant Awards 2012

The Ulster Regional Final For The Restaurant Awards 2012 sponsored By Santa Rita / Sunday Independent Life Magazine took Place In The Merchant Hotel, Belfast Tuesday 27th March 2012.

The List of Winners in each of the following categories were:

Best Customer Service

Antrim                          Berts Jazz Bar@ The Merchant Hotel

Armagh                         Pot Belly Restaurant

Cavan                            Mac Nean House & Restaurant

Derry                            City Hotel

Donegal                         Harveys Point Hotel

Down                             Cullodon Hotel

Fermanagh                   Dollakis

Monaghan                    Snaffles Brasserie@ Castle Leslie

Tyrone                         Oysters

Best Gastro Pub Sponsored By Faustino

Antrim                         The Morning Star

Armagh                        Digbys

Cavan                           The Blackhorse Inn

Derry                            Badgers Bar

Donegal                        Harrys Bar

Down                            Currans Bar

Fermanagh                  Customs House

Monaghan                    Andy's Bar

Tyrone                         The Brewers House

Best Casual Dining Sponsored By Joseph Drouhin

Antrim                         Il Pirata

Armagh                       Zio Restaurant

Cavan                          Pol O D's

Derry                           Flaming Jacks

Donegal                       The Harbour Restaurant

Down                           Strudle Bistro

Fermanagh                 Dollakis

Monaghan                   Conors Bar At Castle Leslie

Tyrone                        Deli On The Green

Wine Experience - Ulster - Sponsored By Thomas Barton

Harveys Point Co. Donegal

Kids Size Me – Ulster- Sponsored By Heinz

The Old Castle Bar & Red Hugh Restaurant

Best Hotel Restaurant

Antrim                        River Room Restaurant At Galgorm Resort & Spa

Armagh                      Newforge Country House

Cavan                         Setanta Restaurant At The Slieve Russell

Derry                         Ardmore Restaurant At Beech Hill Country House

Donegal                      The Weeping Elm Restaurant At Rathmullan House

Down                          Portaferry Hotel

Fermanagh                The Catalina Restaurant At Lough Erne Resort

Monaghan                  The Restaurant At Nuremore Hotel

Tyrone                       The Kitchen Restaurant At Lylagan Country House

Best Chef Sponsored By Tipperary Water

Antrim                        Damian Tumilty, Cafe Vaudeville

Armagh                      Dean Coppard, Uluru

Cavan                         Gearoid Lynch, The Olde Post Inn

Derry                          Ian Orr, Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge

Donegal                      Kelan Mc Michael, The Weeping Elm At Rathmullan House

Down                          Joery Castel, The Boat House

Fermanagh                Noel McMeel, Lough Erne Resort

Monaghan                  Andrew Bradley, Snaffles Restaurant At Castle Leslie

Tyrone                       Hayden Gamble, Vanilla

Best Restaurant Sponsored By Santa Rita

Antrim                        James St South

Armagh                      Uluru

Cavan                          Mc Nean House & Restaurant

Derry                          Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge

Donegal                      The Mill Restaurant

Down                          The Boathouse

Fermanagh                Watermill Restaurant

Monaghan                  Snaffles Restaurant At Castle Leslie

Tyrone                       Vanilla

All County winners will now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the Burlington Hotel Dublin on Wednesday 14th May 2012 2. www.irishrestaurantawards.com . 

There are 3 components to phase two  of the process. Each element is independently assessed by KPMG.

1. Mystery Guest Visit (35%) This component of the awards is conducted by Prism Consulting headed by Hugo Arnold, independent food writer and consultant. (http://www.hugoarnold.com). All County Winners receive a mystery guest visit throughout the month of April.

2. National Awards Academy (55%) Our National Awards Academy is made up representatives from each of the regional judging panels and will meet in May to Judge the County Winners.

3. Menu Judging (10%) All County winners and the Dublin Shortlist in each category are asked to submit a copy of their food menu and wine list for judging.

For Further Details Please Contact:

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive, www.RAI.ie - 086 8263311.

Irish Restauranteurs believe the 'Jobs Initiative' is a move in the right direction

The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) which represents over 700 restaurants with over 63,000 employees in the restaurant sector, today welcomed the many positive measures in the Government's Jobs Initiative and the "decisive way in which the government has moved to support the tourism sector, boost confidence and get people back to work and revitalise the tourism sector."

Vat on Tourism-Related Products from 13.5% to 9%

Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said  “Many of the initiatives announced today will have a positive impact on the Irish Tourism Industry. The cut in VAT, by 4.5%, will provide a significant boost to the tourism and hospitality sectors. It is a sensible approach to have a meaningful VAT reduction of a targeted nature, rather than a very small cut spread more thinly. I will instruct my members to pass the VAT reduction on to consumers from 1 July 2011 in line with the introduction of the new VAT rate. The tourism sector can make a substantial contribution to our economic recovery."

Joint Labour Committees

The Irish Restaurant Sector plans to create 4000 new jobs if Joint Labour Committees are abolished.

On this point Mr Cummins added, "The absence of a government decision on the outcome of the independent review of ERO and REA wage setting mechanisms is disappointing and needs to be taken as a matter of great urgency.”

Air Travel Tax Reduction Abolished
The Restaurants Association also welcomed the plans to abolish the €3 travel tax. "Abolishing the air travel tax will further enhance Ireland’s offering. The airlines must also play their part in making Ireland as attractive a destination as possible for overseas tourists."

Lower PRSI rate
Mr Cummins also welcomed the 50% reduction in the lower PRSI rate from 8.5% to 4.25% on jobs paying up to €356 per week (with effect from 1 July).

For more on this visit the Restaurants Association of Ireland website at http://www.rai.ie/


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zack