The consistent excellence of service offered to customers by four leading Moray businesses will be recognised at an awards ceremony this week.

Bowl 2000, in Elgin, the Seafield Hotel, Cullen, and the visitor centres at Baxters, Fochabers, and Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown, will receive the internationally recognised Hospitality Assured accreditation.

The presentations will be made by Peter Crombe, chief executive of Skibo Castle, at Glenfiddich Distillery Visitor Centre on Friday afternoon.

Hospitality Assured is the quality assurance mark for service and business excellence championed by the Hotel and Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) - the professional body for the hospitality industry - supported by the British Hospitality Association.

The process for achieving the award is rigorous, taking into account customer opinion and considering all aspects of service from the customer's point of view.

The accreditation scheme is supported and promoted by Moray Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise (MBSE).

Douglas Yule, chief executive of MBSE, said: "I am delighted to see the efforts of these four Moray companies to meet and exceed the expectations of their customers recognised with these awards.

"This accreditation is not easily achieved. It is an ongoing process, providing a series of performance indicators against which an organisation can continually measure itself.

"It is only by taking this approach that we can be sure of providing visitors to the area with the consistently excellent service they expect."

MBSE chairman Derek Bedford said: "I congratulate Baxters, Glenfiddich, Bowl 2000 and the Seafield Hotel and would urge other businesses to follow their lead by applying for this prestigious quality assurance mark."