c.rundle@bepp.co.uk

Coffee outlets may be taking over the high street but millions of Britons still enjoy afternoon tea – and the best place to enjoy it in the South West has now been revealed.

The Moreton Tearoom in Dorchester, Dorset, which has won the title of South West Cafe/Tea Room of the Year in the annual Taste of the West awards, was described as "almost faultless" by judges.

The awards are run by the country's largest regional food marketing group to highlight the standards of excellence which are making the region synonymous with top-quality food and drink.

The official verdict: "The food was great, and the presentation has professionalism about it with wonderful friendly staff."

Eight months' judging and comparing of entries lie behind the presentation of the awards, which demonstrate how food, drink and hospitality in the South West are now setting standards for the rest of the country.

The Champion Product award went to Witheridge Farm Shop in North Devon for home-cured cooked ox tongue, described by the judges as sympathetically cured and well-prepared, resulting in a tantalising balance of sweet and savoury.

Bramley and Gage, of Gloucestershire, won two awards with their Six O'Clock Gin. One was for packaging. With excellent copywriting and a classy, elegant look, the judges described the bottle simply as "beautiful". The gin then went on to win Best of Alcoholic Drinks.

The drink is based on the recipe of engineer and inventor Edward Kain, and has been developed and brought to market by his grandson, Michael.

The South West Local Food in Schools Award went to North Bradley Primary School, Wiltshire. The award was initiated to recognise schools committed to serving healthy, local produce at lunchtime, to educating pupils about the source of the food they eat and to communicating the healthy eating and local sourcing messages to both pupils and parents.

Judges said they were impressed by the clear evidence of a very proactive school. Taste of the West chief executive John Sheaves said the group was "absolutely delighted" by the industry's response to this year's awards.

"The whole programme is completely privately funded through sponsorship and industry contributions reflecting the need for private investment instead of public funding," he said.

"To have 1,000 products judged, culminating in the announcement of the champion product today is breathtaking, let alone over 200 hospitality entries from the region's finest eateries. I think the region can now truly boast about the food and drink offering and contribution to the visitor economy of the South West."