STAFF from restaurants and pubs faced the ultimate showdown yesterday in Town Church Square. A huge crowd gathered to watch eight establishments go head to head in the annual waiters’ and waitresses’ competitions.

‘This event is usually one of the most popular in the ‘Town’ carnival, but this year the support has just been fantastic. There’s a good bit of competition between warring hotels and pubs. Everyone seems to be enjoying it,’ said Town Carnival events organiser Jane Bristowe.

More than 40 workers from the White Hart, Albion House, Harbour Lights, St Pierre Park Hotel, Ship & Crown, Dix Neuf, Oliver’s and Isabel’s entered the three races.

Both the waiters’ and waitresses’ race involved pouring out four cups of water and carrying them on a tray from the Town Church through the Arcade, down the High Street and back to the starting point. The winner was the one to cross the finish line first with the four cups still on the tray and with water in each.

‘I’m so glad I won, I feel like the champion of Guernsey,’ said waiters’ winner David Walsh, from Oliver’s.

The other big event was the wheelbarrow race. Members of staff paired up, with one in the wheelbarrow and the other pushing. The route was the same.

Isabel’s co-owner Glen Pontin set up the race almost 15 years ago. He has won it for 13 years running. This year, his reign ended.

‘It’s certainly time to let the youngsters take over. It’s all good fun and it gets staff away from work for a while,’ he said.

‘It builds good team spirit and it’s a good advert for every establishment that takes part.’

His brother Mark, helped organise the event.

‘The support we’ve had this year has been fantastic. The amount of pubs that have turned up has been really good. It’s a great opportunity for loads of different staff from different nationalities to meet up and have fun.’

Mark did not take part in any of the events himself and his team did not rank in any of the competitions.

‘Glenn and me have always had a bit of competition between the two establishments. I’m always too scared to enter myself. We didn’t win anything today, but I’m still proud of my team. I think they enjoyed it.’