THE chief of a number of North West petrol stations has won a coveted national award.

Blackburn and Darwen-based Zuber Issa, managing director of EuroGarages, was named winner of the Retail, Food and Franchise Excellence prize at the Lloyds TSB Northern Jewel Awards at the weekend.

In 2001, Mr Issa started buying petrol fore- courts, upgraded them and became intimate with all aspects of the business.

In 2006, it became a Virgin Fast Track 100 company and bought sought-after sites in key locations.

Mr Issa was nom-inated for the category as most of his petrol stations have Spar mini supermarkets in them.

The award recognises the achievements of Asian men and women who have demonstrated an outstanding ability to develop retail and food in multiple outlets.

Mr Issa was competing against entrepreneur and celebrity chef Tommy Miah of Raj Hotel Group and award winning restaurateur Athair Khan, of The Last Days of the Raj.

The annual event took place at the Palace Hotel, Manchester, to celebrate the impact of British Asians in both the public and private sector.

The awards are in their sixth year and this time received a record 13,500 nominations.

Six excellence awards were announced during the evening: Profess-ional; Public Service; Retail, Food and Franchise; Business and Commerce; Health-care and Education; and Entrepreneur; plus the Lifetime Achievement Jewel Award.

Truett Tate, group executive director for Wholesale & International Banking, Lloyds TSB, said: "The success of Britain's Asian community is a shining example to us all.

"As these nominations demonstrate, British Asians are truly making their mark across fields as diverse as commerce, culture, politics and professional services."