Midlands 103 is creating an awards event to celebrate hospitality operators in Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.
The station has already received over 2,000 entries for more than 30 categories, with the inaugural ceremony to be held in Portlaoise in May. A shortlist of finalists will be selected by popular support, with the winners decided by a panel of industry experts including Patrick O’Donoghue, CEO of The Gleneagle Group, Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen personality Nick Munier, and David Whelehan, wine expert on TV3.
Midlands 103 Managing Director Albert FitzGerald told RadioToday: “We believe our counties of Laois, Offaly and Westmeath are home to truly fine hospitality establishments, with quality, variety and customer service to rival the best in Ireland. We recognise that national tourism promotion prioritises Kerry, Dublin, the Wild Atlantic Way and so we feel a duty to protect and promote the vibrancy of our local industry. That is why we have created the Midlands 103 Hospitality Awards.”
The Midland Park Hotel in Portlaoise is the venue for the awards evening on May 21st. The closing date for nominations is Friday March 30th.