RESTAURANT owners in East Lancashire are being warned to be on their guard after a firm asked a bistro for £20 for a ratings award certificate.

Ray Peake, who own Callums Bistro in Abbey Street, Accrington, was astounded when he was selected to receive an award of distinction - only to be told he would have to pay £20 for the privilege.

He was targeted by the Hotel and Restaurant Academy, a London-based firm, which sent a letter informing him that after an extensive survey of restaurants in the area, he had been selected as a winner of a "Millennium Award of Distinction", with a rating of 81 per cent.

The ratings were listed in a table on the letter, with 60 to 69 per cent being above average with one star, 70 to 79 per cent as very good with two stars, 80 to 89 per cent as excellent with three stars, and 90 to 100 per cent as outstanding with four stars.

The letter claimed that a "magnificently designed and produced certificate confirming this honour which you will be proud to display" was now available, and all recipients would be listed in a soon to be released publication, "Dining At The Dawn of the Millennium"..

The magazine promised to give editorial coverage to the restaurant, with additional promotional material to be published on a web site.

A one-off charge of £20 was requested to cover the cost of the certificate, one year free membership of the Academy and administration. Mr Peake said: "When I read the letter I was bemused as I only got 81 per cent and I would have expected to get 100 per cent!

"I contacted the number on the letter and the line was dead and when I rang directory enquiries I was told the number didn't exist.

"You can fool some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time. It's a trick without a doubt. But some people will fall for it as it will appeal to some people's egos."

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph made several attempts to contact the firm but the number was permanently switched to an answer phone.

Lynn Clough of Lancashire Trading Standards said: "There is nothing we can do about this as the firm has not committed an offence.

"However, we would advise people to steer clear. If people want to purchase a certificate it would not do any harm, but it is difficult to ascertain if a survey has been carried out."

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