Norden food store could be Heroes at Manchester Awards

Heroes in Norden has been shortlisted as one of the best Food and Drink outlets in Greater Manchester

Heroes in Norden has been nominated as one of the best food and drink outlets in Greater Manchester. The store has been shortlisted in the best food and drink outlet category at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2008.

The awards are the most important in the industry for the Greater Manchester region and Heroes' manager Paul Sheerin was obviously delighted to have been nominated. He said: "I'm really chuffed. We only found out a couple of days ago and we're absolutely made up about it.

"Personally I think it's great for Rochdale and for Norden and it's great to get some recognition for the town and the village. It's unbelievable to be in the top six in Manchester when there must be hundreds and hundreds of outlets altogether.

"We're really looking forward to the ceremony but to be honest it's just superb for us to be nominated. To get any further and win would be unbelievable but I'm so happy with where we have come so far."

Paul will find out whether or not Heroes is the top food and drink outlet in the region at a glitzy gala dinner held at the Palace Hotel on 13 October.

Hereos was chosen by an independent panel of food and drink critics and experts from within Greater Manchester. The winners of the award are now open to a public vote, which is open until the end of this month. The winners will then be chosen by combining the public vote with the judges' own choices.

To vote for Heroes and give them a chance of winning their category, click on the link below:

www.foodanddrinkfestival.com/2008/vote_food.asp

Councillor Keith Swift, chairman of the Visit Rochdale Borough group, was pleased that another Rochdale business had been nominated for a high-profile award. He said: "I'm really pleased for Paul because he's put an awful lot of work into making Heroes a success. This just shows that Rochdale is making great strides forward following on the success of Samantha Fleming at Moss Lodge Hotel winning the best Bed and Breakfast in Greater Manchester and Andrew Nutter at Nutters' Restaurant for being awarded the best tourism restaurant in Greater Manchester.

"It's pleasing to see such good things happening in Rochdale and this will help increase the number of visitors to the town, which will in turn see an increase in jobs.

"We are well aware that tourism is now playing an increasingly important role in the economic development of the borough."