A HEREFORDSHIRE restaurant has been officially named the best venue in the West Midlands in a list of national awards.

The Riverside at Aymestrey, in Leominster, was one of 15 pubs to be named as the best in its region at the annual National Pub and Bar awards.

It is owned by local man Andy Link, who uses locally sourced and foraged ingredients in his food-led pub and country inn.

Mr Link also won Unilever pub chef of the year for his talents, and was overall winner of the Hereford Times Food and Drink Awards in 2018.

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"It is really thanks to our whole team from our chefs, front-of-house to housekeepers and gardeners, who are all so invested in what has become more than a pub to us," said Mr Link.

Hereford Times: Andy Link, owner of the Riverside at AymestreyAndy Link, owner of the Riverside at Aymestrey

"Our pub has become a continue project to try and showcase Herefordshire and how amazing our region is.

"There hard work and passion continues to improve and develop the pub and keep our guests returning and they make this business what it is."

It has been a difficult few years and the last few months have been especially tough as its team has pushed to become more sustainable and tackled new challenges, said Mr Link, who writes a regular column for the Hereford Times.

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"We also couldn't have achieved this without the support of all our guests who visit us and appreciate what we are trying to achieve, and who see how important pubs and restaurant are to rural communities especially in Herefordshire," he said.

A total of 94 county-winning venues gathered in London to celebrate some of the leading businesses in the industry across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.