It’s doing summit right! Honour for Himalayas eatery
Royal card for couple celebrating 60th wedding anniversary
THE Great Himalayas restaurant and bar in Southport town centre is celebrating being recognised as one of the very best Nepalese restaurants in the UK.
The popular eatery, at 665 Lord Street in Southport, was Highly Commended in the National Curry Awards which celebrate the talents of businesses in the nation’s curry industry.
The awards recognise excellence in a range of categories including Best Chef of the Year, Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year and Best Customer Service.
Southport’s Great Himalayas Nepalese Restaurant and Bar was honoured as second best in the UK, being awarded a Highly Commended certificate, to the delight of the venue’s owners, staff and customers.
A spokesperson for the National Curry Awards said: “It was an unforgettable night, filled with incredible food, vibrant energy, and passionate conversations.
“We have celebrated the finest in the UK’s curry scene, recognising the creativity, innovation and exceptional service that have become synonymous with this beloved cuisine.
“The UK’s curry industry is a vital part of our culture and these awards recognised the exceptional talents of the individuals and businesses that make it so special. We want to congratulate all the winners and highly commended recipients on their accomplishment.”
The Great Himalayas has received numerous
Owner Prakash Shahi accolades including a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award, a nomination for the Your Southport Stars Awards, the First Nations Curry Award and the English Curry Award.
Celebrities such as Liverpool FC legend Steven Gerrard have been spotted dining there.
From Himali Lamb Chops to Hariyali Chicken to Himalayan Brothers Special Fish Curry, Great Himalayas serves intriguing and mouth-watering Nepalese dishes.
Owner Prakash Shahi said: “This is the second year we have been Highly Commended in the National Curry Awards. It is an amazing honour.
“It means we are being given credit and recognised for the high quality of food we are creating for our customers on a consistent basis. We are very happy to have been Highly Commended in these prestigious awards. It is all down to our brilliant staff, our loyal customers and the constant support from my family.
“The Great Himalayas has been a huge success since we opened.
“We started with six members of staff, we now employ 14 people.
“We have grown to cope with a growing demand from people who want to come and dine with us and try our delicious Nepalese food.
“Our customers have kept coming to eat with us since the first day we opened and we are very thankful to them for their support.”
The owners and the chefs all hail from the Himalayas. Their food is cooked using traditional Nepalese techniques.
‘Our customers have kept coming since the day we opened and we are very thankful to them for their support’
A COUPLE became besotted with each other when they each noticed the other across the room at a disco more than 60 years ago.
David Halliwell, 84, and wife Mary Halliwell, 83, used to go dancing at a youth club on Palace Road in Southport back in the
60s.
One evening Mary stopped and asked her friend: “Who is that boy? He’s got beautiful eyes.”
It just so happened the boy, David, had also spotted her and asked a friend who she was.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
David and Mary both grew up in and continue to live in Southport. They share two daughters and three grandchildren.
One of their grandchildren, Semina, tragically died aged just 12 in June 2021.
Her death rocked Merseyside and while the family has been utterly devastated by the loss of Semina, the Halliwells’ wedding anniversary has been a small ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark and cloudy sky.
Their daughter Rachel, Semina’s mum, said she has never known a relationship quite like that of her parents.
She said: “I am 52 and I have honestly never heard my mum and dad have an argument. People might think I’m lying, but it’s true.
“They are so very happily married, they’re best friends really. They have given me, my sister and their grandchildren absolutely everything.”
Rachel and the family surprised David and Mary with a signed and framed anniversary card from the King and Queen at a meal recently.
Rachel said: “They’re old school, they love the royals, so it was beautiful to see their reactions.
“They couldn’t believe it, to receive something like that is a once in a lifetime experience. A delivery from Buckingham Palace.”