CHELTENHAM RESTAURANT NOMINATED FOR TOP CURRY PRIZE

9.47.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 30th Apr 2008

CHELTENHAM INDIAN & ASIAN RESTAURANT 'SPICE LODGE' has been nominated by local MP Martin Horwood for the Tiffin Cup 2008. This competition aims to raise money for charity and celebrate the excellence of South Asian cooking in the UK. This year's competition will be launched on 6 May at the Quilon Restaurant in London when Martin will be accompanied by a representative from 'Spice Lodge' which is located in Bath Road, Cheltenham.

This is the first time a Cheltenham restaurant has been nominated in the competition which was started in 2006 by Keith Vaz MP and colleagues. "This year I simply nominated one of my own favourites in Cheltenham" said Martin "but I know other MPs now hold local competitions to find their nominee. If there is enough interest locally, I hope to do that in future years and let everyone in the town say which is their favourite. That will be a tough contest because I know we have some really outstanding Asian food in Cheltenham."

"Spice Lodge is one of my favourite places to eat in Cheltenham and I've chosen it to host local Lib Dem events such as the recent dinner for our leader Nick Clegg. It's not just the great food and wonderful hospitality but the atmosphere of the tastefully converted period building that makes it so special."