The cream of Tavistock bakers impressed the judges and the public for the town’s second annual cream tea festival.

As the birthplace of the Devonshire cream tea, you are guaranteed a decent scone in Tavistock. Last week, however, businesses in the town excelled themselves throwing themselves into the spirit of Tavistock Cream Tea Week with innovative versions of the essential part of a West Country tea.

The event included a competition which the town’s mayor and business leaders judged, along with a ‘people’s choice’ picked by customers.

The event saw 17 businesses inventing new, inspired cream tea flavours for customers. The creative cooks took on classic dishes like a Waldorf Salad, Italian Bruschetta and Black Forest Gateau to a Pimms-inspired summer cream tea and a Bakewell scone accompanied by a Bakewell Daquiri.

The standard was so high, making life difficult for the mayor Cllr Steve Hipsey and his consort Cathy, to choose between them. Also accompanying them was Tim Randell, of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce, Jacqui Bird of ITV Westcountry and Janna Sanders, Tavistock Business Improvement District (BID) manager.

Janna said: “This year the standard of baking was impressive and some of the ideas that our local chefs came up with were truly sensational.

“After three years of dedication, the event is now getting the recognition that it deserves. We will continue to grow the event until it becomes a must-do for visitors from all over the UK.

“A big thank-you must go to the town council who supported the event, but most of all to the businesses of Tavistock whose enthusiastic participation has highlighted the town’s unique history and earned it well-deserved acclaim.”

The judges all agreed that Café Liaison should win ‘best scone’ for the light mocha scone, which was crunchy on the outside but moist and tender on the inside.

The Bedford Hotel was awarded ‘most innovative savoury cream tea’ for chef Raoul’s inspired take on a Waldorf Salad: a Quicke’s cheddar and nigella seed scone accompanied by an apple, grape and verjus jam, Devon blue cheese butter cream, walnuts, pickled celery with an apple crisp and mustard cress. The judges’ verdict was “not only did it taste delicious but the presentation and construction of the dish was excellent”.

Church Lane went on to take ‘most innovative sweet cream tea’ for its cherry Bakewell scone accompanied by cherry jam and sugar-coated cherries that resembled toffee apples! It was accompanied by a cherry Bakewell Daquiri. The scones were topped with almonds and the whole dish was ‘exquisite’.

Mime Café won the ‘mayoress’s choice’ title for its bruschetta, a garlic and parmesan pinwheel scone.

The ‘champion of champions’ award went to No. 76 Bar & Kitchen for chef Ross’ strawberry scone with strawberry compote, mascarpone mousse, Pimms jelly and mint syrup – due to the amount of design and effort.

The people’ choice – the ‘Local’s Choice Award’, was voted on by members of the public throughout the week and also at the town hall exhibition that took place during the Cream Tea Fete on Sunday, June 29 . The winner was Coffee & Cream Patisserie with its rhubarb and custard cream tea.