The Italian awarded "Eating place of the Year 2007"

City Centre Businesses celebrate success at the Dundee Retail Awards 2007 as winners were crowned with the city’s highest accolade in retailing.

The event, hosted by TV presenter, journalist and broadcaster Lorraine Kelly, was the climax to months of nominations by city centre businesses, shortlisting by a panel of impartial judges and 11 days of public voting by City of Discovery Shoppers and the Evening Telegraph readership - truly making them the people's awards.

The third award of the evening was Eating Place of the Year in a Fine Dining/Restaurant Environment sponsored by Thorntons Law LLP. The award was won for the second year running by The Italian. The owner-operated family restaurant, which prides itself in preparing its dishes fresh to order and using seasonal local produce won the inaugural Eating Place of the Year category in 2006.

Lorraine Kelly was delighted to be a part of the Dundee City Centre Retail Awards for a second year. She said, "The Dundee City Centre Retail Awards 2007 have again been a great showcase for the businesses that create the retail and leisure landscape of our city centre.

"Tonight has been a great success with all the winners being worthy of their awards and excellent representatives for Dundee."
City Centre Manager Lorna McKenzie said, "Dundee city centre has continued to show its drive and vision and, in celebrating the businesses integral to the development and vision of the city centre, demonstrates a real focus to the future .

"The awards enable us to recognise the substantial developments that have been made by the retail, leisure and business sectors in Dundee's city centre over the past 10 years and bring to the forefront all the factors that have contributed to the continuing growth and vibrancy of our city centre.

"I think we have achieved our aim - celebrating the successes and excellence that exists here."

"Photographs Courtesy of The Evening Telegraph, D C Thomson & Co. Ltd"

The Italian awarded "Eating place of the Year 2006"

City Centre Businesses Collect Coveted Gongs…

City Centre Businesses celebrate success at the Dundee Retail Awards 2006 as winners were crowned with the city’s highest accolade in retailing. The event, hosted by Tayside resident Lorraine Kelly, was the climax to months of nominating by city centre businesses, shortlisting by a panel of impartial judges and a week of public voting by City of Discovery Shoppers and the Evening Telegraph readership – truly making them the people’s awards.....

The fourth award of the evening – Eating Place of the Year sponsored by Dundee College Targeting Tourism Initiative was won by The Italian. The owner-operated family restaurant, which prides itself in preparing its dishes fresh to order and using seasonal local produce, narrowly beat off competition from Ciao Sorrento and Bon Appétit to get the public’s vote during the week of telephone voting via the Evening Telegraph’s Hotline.

Lorraine Kelly was delighted to be a part of the inaugural awards. She said, “It is encouraging to know the retail environment in Dundee is so proactive and we are celebrating the businesses integral to the development and vision of the city centre. Tonight has been a great success with all the winners being worthy of their awards and excellent representatives for the City of Discovery.”

City Centre Manager Lorna McKenzie reflecting on the entire process said, “The Dundee Retail Awards 2006 were established to recognise the substantial developments that have been made by the retail, leisure and business sectors in Dundee’s city centre over the past 10 years.”

“In bringing to the forefront all the factors that have contributed to the continuing growth and vibrancy of our city centre I think we have achieved our aim – celebrating the successes and excellence that exists here.”