A TEAROOM at a Borders garden centre has been crowned as 'the Greatest’ at a recent catering awards.

The Greatest Awards recognise the best catering teams that excel in garden centres.   And during the inaugural Horticultural Trades Association Conference Dinner at The Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield it was announced that the Birdhouse tearoom at Woodside received top prize.

Woodside owner Emma Emmerson told the Border Telegraph: “We are absolutely delighted with this award.

“We didn’t even know we had been nominated until one of the judges appeared in the tearoom.

“The next thing we knew we had a phone call to say that we had won an award.

“As we were unable to attend the awards ceremony we had to wait to find out exactly what we had won, and we couldn’t believe it when we were told we had won the top award for a catering establishment under 150 seats.” The Birdhouse Tearoom at Woodside, which is just two miles from Ancrum, also received a Bronze award for their home-made afternoon teas, What impressed the judges was the use of seasonal and local ingredients including using home-grown fruit and vegetables, the home-made jams and chutneys and the quality and selection of home-made cakes.

They also enjoyed the use of edible flowers, the bird-feeding station and the composting facilities. The kitchen garden also scored points as the produce from it is used in the tearoom and for evening meals.

“Congratulations to my whole team on winning this award”, said Emma.

“Particular praise should go to tearoom manager Naomi Fouracres for her hard work, dedication and enthusiasm”.

The Birdhouse tearoom at Woodside is open every day and is situated in the Woodside walled garden, which is also home to a RSPB Homes for Wildlife garden and a Visit Scotland plant centre.