Best Cafe Bistro award goes to Market Rasen’s Nice & Naughty

Owner of Nice & Naughty cafe Bistro in the town’s Queen Street, Nicola Brooksbank and husband Michael travelled to Moor Hall in Sutton Coldfield for the prestige awards.

The sun came out as the pair celebrated and enjoyed a day away from the busy eatery.

Nicola said: “It was a glorious day –- we felt really spoilt.

“It was great just to have a breather.”

However, the main reason for attending the event was to pick up the award, which Nicola said was a ‘real honour’.

She said: “The awards recognise a whole range of businesses in a number of categories, but we were the only cafe from this area to be there.

“It is really nice to be recognised for the hard work we put in to the business

“It is an honour for us, but also good for the town too.”

There is one thing puzzling Nicola though – she still doesn’t know who nominated the business for the award.

She said: “We got a call out of the blue last August saying we had been shortlisted for the top ten in the best cafe bistro category and that somebody would be visiting – a bit like a mystery shopper.

“Everyone who came in that we didn’t recognise we thought could it be them.

“Whoever it was, we must have done everything right, as the next thing we hear, we have won the award.”

Notes from the judging panel show they were impressed with the customer service and team work, but most of all by community spirit, something Nicola is proud of.

She said: “It is all about helping each other out, especially over the past year.

“Our community meals have been a real hit – and we even had a couple from Italy call up to arrange meals for their parents who now live in Rasen.

“They had found us on the internet – crazy that my little business in this small corner of Lincolnshire is now international!”