THEY'RE the toast of the town!

That's Gill and David Heyes of the popular Garsdale Country Inn & Restaurant in Woodhill Road, Bury, who are celebrating silver.

For the couple triumphed in the coveted Morning Advertiser Pub Industry Awards, one of the top events in the trade's calendar.

At the ceremony, held at the plush Savoy Hotel in London, the Garsdale scooped the the Silver Award for Business Development Pub of the Year.

The award was sponsored by Unique Pub Company which recognises those licensees who have demonstrated the greatest improvement in their business over the past year.

A delighted David said: "Key criteria were

entrepreneurial flair and business nous, which have contributed to increased profits. "Judges looked for hard evidence of a structured approach to growing the business."

The judges shortlisted down to three finalists from hundreds of national nominations.

Added David: "The team at the Garsdale are very proud that all our hard work has been recognised nationally in what could be classed as the 'Oscars' of the pub industry.

The couple took over the Garsdale almost a year ago. The decision to run their own pub was a complete change of career for the couple, both aged in their 40s.

Previously, David had been the outside events manager for the City of Salford Council and Gill had her own catering company.

Days after taking over the popular venue the couple, who are the pub tenants, began a £50,000 refurbishment.

As Gill explained: "We were drawing quite a lot of young people before.

"We decided to remove the pool table and large-scree TV to bring in other people from the local community."

She and David also established a restaurant and the overall effect has been to change the Garsdale back into a country retreat.