We're highlighting the shortlisted curry houses in our competition in the News & Star. Each of the establishments will be featured over ten issues.

The Viceroy has been nominated by News & Star readers as one of the ten finalists in its 'Best Curry House 2024' award.

The restaurant is located in Carlisle's Linton House on Shaddongate and is run by co-owner Alamgir Ali who has been at the helm for a number of years as he continues the family business which was initially opened by his father and local Bangladeshi cuisine pioneer Sukur Ali in 1991.

After being informed that The Viceroy, which has received national award nods in the past, had been chosen by News & Star readers to feature in the final ten of the 'Best Curry House 2024' award, Alamgir was on hand to express his delight.

He said: "We are delighted to be nominated.

"It's great to have national and regional awards like we had had before in the past but the big one for us is local awards.

"To keep a business successful you have to keep your locals and with the locals voicing their opinion and how much they love the Viceroy by nominating us for this award it goes to show how popular we have been.

"If we didn't have the support of the local community we would have been around for as many years as we have been.

Alamgir, who was born and raised in Carlisle, takes pride in The Viceroy's commitment to quality and explained his love of sharing food and making people enjoy new dishes.

He said: "Any restaurant is only as good as their chef and the team.

"We serve quality food, that is what people go to restaurants for and we are the important thing is that we are from Carlisle.

"Me and my brothers were all born and raised in Carlisle and we are just Carlisle lads. Carlisle is our home and we try to give locals exactly what they want.

"One of my favourite things is having customers coming in and saying that they don't like spicy food or Indian or Bangladeshi and I consider that a challenge. 

"I always guarantee that I can find something on our menu that people will enjoy and there is nothing more satisfying than seeing a customer enjoying our food."