AN EAST Lancashire restaurant has beaten off stiff competition from across the UK to win a national award.

Ramson's, of Market Place, Ramsbottom, was presented with the Which? Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year award at the British Museum, London on Tuesday June 17.

The restaurant was shortlisted for the national prize after being voted the public's favourite North West eatery for the second year running.

More than 20,000 members of the public voted for their top local independent restaurant to produce the shortlist of ten regional winners.

The restaurant, which specialises in simple Anglo-Italian cuisine, defeated renowned establishments including London's Pied à Terre to take the prestigious accolade.

The trophy was presented to them by Michelin star rated chef Heston Blumenthal OBE, who previously tutored one of Ramson's chefs, Mary McTague, at The Fat Duck in Bray.

Top inspectors from the Good Food Guide visited the restaurant on a number of occasions before making their decision.

Owner of Ramson's Chris Johnson, who has run the restaurant with his wife Ros since 1985, has no plans to change the winning formula.

He said: "For 23 years we've focussed on constantly seeking to improve what we do and it seems like we've finally cracked it.

"It's a lifetime's dream to win what is the ultimate accolade for a foody.' "It is even more pleasing that a top inspector, who eats in the country's best restaurants seven days a week, visited the restaurant and described it as a faultless dining experience.

"We will not get bigger or open any more hours because we're a small team with four full time young chefs who are all very talented.

"We are all about simple food that tastes of what it is and we want people to feel relaxed and comfortable.

"The head chef Naseem Abdulla has worked here for eight years and you don't work with someone for that long without having a really good relationship."

The ceremony, which was held by consumer organisation Which? to celebrate the best products and services in the UK, was hosted by news presenter Dermot Murnaghan.

Sir Stirling Moss OBE and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne also took part in the event.

Editor of the Good Food Guide Elizabeth Carter said: "Ramsons is a stylish little restaurant, but also warm and welcoming - the sort of place you enter as a customer and leave as a friend.

"We were really impressed by the passion of owner Chris Johnson, and his talent for sourcing traceable and seasonal ingredients from local suppliers as well as superb Mediterranean produce from Italy.

"The restaurant's nurturing of young talent makes it a great role model for the industry, too.

"There was strong competition among the finalists, but Ramsons is really extraordinary."