Narrowly pipped by Glasgow to the overall crown of Curry Capital of Britain, the bid presented by Bradford helped secure the city second place and title as England’s Curry Capital.

Peter Groves, Curry Capital of Britain Competition Organiser, said:

“Bradford presented the most creative bid out of all the cities, drawing on several aspects of the city to fully illustrate the impact curry houses and their culture have on the region and their local community.”

During the grueling judging process the public voted for their favourite restaurants in and around the city: Lahore Café Bar, Azeems (Keighley), Aagrah Shipley and Shimla Spice (Shipley), before voting for the city.

A team of judges then put the restaurants through their paces, scoring them on the standard of their food and service, their hygiene and cleanliness and how they serve their communities. This score, combined with an official bid put forward by the city council, led to the second place decision.

Mohammed Aslam, Managing Director and Executive Chef of the Aagrah Group of Restaurant, said;

“It is fantastic news that Bradford has become England’s Curry Capital – there is so much good curry in the city and to be part of the winning team is an honor. We look forward to working with our other team members, the council and the local community to continue the hard work and hopefully better the achievement to take the overall British crown next year.”

Using the UNESCO City of Film status, Bradford was able to demonstrate the value of curry houses in the city region, highlighting the standing they have within the community and the key role they play in drawing cultures and traditions together.

Councillor The Rev Paul Flowers said:

“We are delighted that Bradford has been named as the best city for curry in England and would like to offer our congratulations to overall Curry Capital of Britain winner Glasgow, who won by just two points. There is such diversity in the city and it is fantastic to see the public and the businesses which make Bradford the place it is today coming together to demonstrate just how good the city and its curry truly is.”

The competition was reinstated this year after a three year break which left Leicester the reigning champion in 2007. Competing against Newcastle, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leicester, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leeds and Sheffield in the contest, Bradford last gained the title in 2004 and were narrowly beaten to the top spot this year by Glasgow. Wolverhampton came third.

For more information and ideas about what to see and do in the Bradford District visit www.visitbradford.com

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