Our readers have nominated the top 10 takeaways in Cirencester, Tetbury, Malmesbury and the surrounding areas, and we’re profiling each of them so you can vote for the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard Best Takeaway 2021.

Our penultimate contestant is Waterside Kitchen & Bar, which opened in September last year under the stewardship of John Henry and Philippa Sowyer.

After losing 1,000 bookings in the third lockdown, the pair turned to takeaway to offer Cirencester something different, with dishes like fresh lobster and crab, Japanese sushi and beef wellington to eat at home.

“Along with the rest of country we lost every bit of our eat-in trade, but our chefs are brilliantly innovative and they arranged takeaway and delivery options,” said John.

“We’ve had amazing trade, especially on a Sunday.”

In fact, they bought a delivery vehicle and partnered with Ciren Eats in order to keep up with demand.

“We’re really pleased and delighted, we’re not a town-centre place where you get your regulars and so for people to nominate us is brilliant because we only started in September so we haven’t really established a regular clientele.”

Asked how he would feel if they won the competition, John said: “We’d be chuffed to bits because we’re new, it would put us on the map and we could show off our fabulous range of products and attract more people to enjoy the lakes, the views and the food.”

John and Philippa have invested more than £100,000 in refurbishing the restaurant during lockdown, including three outside pods which can sit six people and two open-air cabins which sit 12.

They have also erected an outside kitchen kiosk which serves teas, coffees and bacon rolls to walkers and cyclists visiting the lakes.

“I’m really looking forward to plonking people on seats and showing them what we can do,” said John, after lockdown rules were relaxed on April 12.

If you think Waterside Kitchen & Bar should be crowned the best takeaway in the Cotswolds and North Wiltshire, you can vote for them using the voting coupon in last week’s paper (Thursday, April 8) or this week's (Thursday, April 15).

Or you can check out the other venues we’ve profiled so far:

Once you've got your coupon, simply post it to: Wilts & Glos Standard Best Takeaway, Redhill House, 227 London Road, Worcester, WR5 2JG.

Or you can leave the coupon with the restaurant you voted for when you collect your takeaway.

Voting ends on April 18.