A RESTAURANT in Hook has been shortlisted for the Best Restaurant South East Award at a prestigious award ceremony that celebrates the UK’s best curry restaurants.

The British Curry Awards in association with Just Eat will take place on Monday, November 29 at Battersea Evolution in London and Hook Tandoori on Station Road has been shortlisted.

The awards showcase the UK’s favourite curry restaurants, all of which are nominated by the public and will return for the 17th year.

Enam Ali MBE, British Curry Awards founder, said: “It gives me great joy that, after the challenges of the last 18 months, my industry friends in the UK curry fraternity and public figures will unite once again in person at the home of the British Curry Awards – Battersea Evolution – to celebrate the nation’s favourite curry houses while also recognising the issues we, as an industry and as a nation, have faced during the pandemic.

"Testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of the cross-generational migrant community that comprises the UK’s curry industry, we have come back ever more determined to serve curry lovers up and down the country, continuing to take on all challenges head on and ensure the industry continues to thrive once again. At the same time, we will pay tribute to our industry colleagues that we have sadly lost to Covid. Their presence is deeply missed among us.”

Andrew Kenny, UK managing director at Just Eat said it’s a great honour to sponsor the awards.

He added: “It’s a great honour to once again be sponsoring the British Curry Awards. After an incredibly challenging 18 months, there’s never been a better time to recognise the resilient and hard-working individuals within the restaurant and takeaway sector.

"Despite the many obstacles faced, from shortages in the supply chain to difficulty in recruiting skilled workers, restaurants have risen to the occasion and delivered customers a taste of normality when they needed it the most. We want to ensure that takeaway restaurants – especially in this sector which contributes so much to British culture – don’t just survive, but thrive, in today’s challenging economic climate.”