Northumberland pub in running for national award

Aug 23 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

A TOP Northumberland pub is in the running for two national awards. The Feathers at Hedley on the Hill has won the best newcomer award in the Great British pub awards for the North East and Yorkshire, and owners Helen Greer and Rhian Craddock will find out in September if they have scooped the national title.

But that is not the only prize the pub could be in line for as the team is in the finals of the North East section of the UKTV Food Hero competition.

Mr Craddock, who is chef at the pub, said that the latter award reflected an important part of the pub’s ethos.

He said: “It is a great competition because it is not about how well you cook but about how well you source local produce. The people you come up against aren’t just chefs. I am looking forward to it – it is good fun meeting people who share our position on sourcing locally. It is really important to champion local food.”

As part of the judging for the competition, Mr Craddock will be cooking for celebrity chef Gary Rhodes later this year, with the winners announced on the programme in November.

The pub also won the North East award for the Food Hero competition last year.

But Mr Craddock added that the nomination for the Great British pub awards showed that the establishment was more than just a restaurant. The pair took over the running of the pub about 16 months ago.

Helen said: “It is great to get best newcomer and we find out at an award ceremony in London if we have won the national title.”

The pub is holding a farmers’ market on Monday from midday to 3pm, with a number of their suppliers having stalls.