by Gerry Warren

Restaurants, pubs and food and beverage retailers across our area are well represented in the finals of the 2010 Taste of Kent Awards, which take place at Leeds Castle next month.

There are 12 categories, most of which feature a business from Canterbury, Faversham or Whitstable in the final three.

Canterbury cider-maker, Rough Old Wife, is nominated in the Best Kentish Cider category and Core Fruit Products, also from Canterbury, and Moor Organic from Tenyham in the Juice Producer of the Year class.

The Farmhouse in Canterbury is nominated as restaurant of the year while the Haywain at Bramling and The Plough in Faversham are among the last three of Kent Pub of the Year.

Godmersham Game at Mystole and the Butcher of Brogdale at Faversham are both finalists in Kent Butcher/Meat Supplier of the year.

Hopdeamon of Newnham and Shepherd Neame both make the Best Kentish Beer final line-up and Macknades in Faversham will compete in the final three of local food retailer of the year.

The Kent Seafood Retailer of the Year category features the Whitstable Crab Company while Ashmore Cheese of Lamberhurst Farm, Dargate, makes the final of the Kent Food Product of the Year.

Organisers say the contest attracted a record 10,000 votes and the 12 overall winners will be revealed on the night of the awards dinner.