Ten teams recently took part in the inaugural Bristol Waiters’ Race which is now set to become a regular feature of the city’s popular annual Harbour Festival. As well as serving up plenty of fun for the spectators, they also raised £300 for The Grand Appeal, the official Bristol Children’s Hospital charity.
The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) joined forces with Bristol BID to host the event, in the Harbour Festival Family Zone in Queen Square. Competitors raced against the clock while balancing trays loaded with champagne flutes, pint glasses, cups and saucers (all filled with water) and blocks of Cheddar Cheese.
They were judged on their speed and penalised for spillages and breakages as they put their tray-carrying skills to the test. Most of the teams were from hotels in the city, joined by competitors from Visit West, Bristol BID and the Grand Appeal itself.
Ahad Vahabzadeh, from the BHA, said: “It was a lot of fun for those taking part and for everybody watching, and we would like to thank everyone who supported this first Waiter’s Race.
“It went so well that we are definitely planning for it to become an annual event, so we are hoping even more teams will join us next year to make the second race bigger and better.
“While we would expect a strong representation from the city’s hospitality sector, entry is open to all, whether you work in a hotel, bar or restaurant, or you’re a retailer, accountant, lawyer, office worker or student – the more the merrier – and messier, as there are always going to be some spillages in an event like this!
“Ultimately, it’s an opportunity to have a lot of fun while also supporting a very worthy cause, as part of one of Bristol’s biggest and most popular annual events.”
The reception team from the DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City Centre won the final race.
Ahad added: “I would like to thank our sponsors, Molson Coors, Triple Co Coffee and The Grand Appeal who helped make our inaugural race such a success.”
To find out more about the Bristol Hoteliers Association, visit: www.bristol-hoteliers.co.uk.
