Belfray commended

Out of a field of 136 entries in this year’s UTV Business Eye Awards the plush hotel and restaurant complex made it to the ‘Top 3’ in the category for ‘Tourism/Hospitality Project of the Year’, and on Thursday night proprietors John Edgar and Brian Loughlin were delighted to learn that they had taken second place in the category, being highly commended in the process.

The overall title went to the Ulster Folk Museum, fulfilling the criteria of “the individual project within Northern Ireland which, in the view of the panel, has done most to raise standards in the hospitality industry and to attract more tourists to the region”.

A jubilant Brian Loughlin said: “There were 136 in that category, so we were delighted to come into the final three, and we are overjoyed that we came second. It is the second big win for us in the space of two months, so we are over the moon, and we want to thank everyone who has helped us along and the panel at the awards and the sponsors,” he said.

Without the owners or management and staff knowing it, five judges individually visited the Belfray over a period of time, staying long enough to sample the food and stopping overnight, to give them an idea of the standard of care and comfort being offered.

“We still don’t know who they were or when they stayed, but they were obviously really pleased with their stay,” said Brian.

The award ceremony took place on Thursday night last at the Culloden Hotel to honour the cream of the Northern Ireland’s business community with 15 different categories.

The winners in each case will were chosen by a panel of judges including UTV’s Business Correspondent Jamie Delargy, Business Eye Editor Richard Buckley as well as leading local business journalists.