CARLISLE'S best-loved showman John Myers has returned to the limelight a year after being diagnosed with throat cancer.

Opening the fifth Carlisle Living Awards at Garden at Eden on Friday night, the radio executive and former Border TV and CFM star was uproariously funny as ever, but many in the 440-strong crowd also wiped away tears of sympathy as he told of the gruelling treatment he had undergone on his way to his all-clear.

“Sometimes you’ve got to make time to stop and smell the roses,” said the host of the awards for the past three years. John had made it one of his goals during treatment to to attend and speak at this year's awards

The 2018 awards, in association with Carlsberg UK and taking place as Carlisle Living magazine begins to celebrate its 10th birthday, recognise the best of Carlisle and were compered this year by opera singer Professor Graeme Danby from the University of Cumbria.

Among those presented with special Inspiration Awards at the end of Carlisle's biggest night out, were Cumbria’s Chief Constable Michelle Skeer, from Carlisle, as an inspirational role model to young people and women for rising through the ranks from PC to take on earlier this year “the toughest job in Cumbria”.

As Carlisle Living looked back on the changing city over the past 10 years, Simon Harrison of The Halston was picked out for an Inspiration Award for his commitment and vision to improving the city through his Harrison Northern development company and then transforming the historic Crown Post Office in Warwick Road to The Halston Aparthotel, with more projects in the pipeline.

Four of the city's best known and long-standing businesspeople were recognised jointly with the Leadership Award for their contribution to the city over more than 40 years each.

Friends Tom Boyd of Boyd Hair & Beauty, Terry Foster of Casanova menswear, John Beadle of Beadle and Hill jewellers, and Franco Bertoletti of Adriano's restaurant, all started in business in the city around the same time, and the judges congratulated them for surviving and thriving for so long, when the High Street is under so much pressure.

Finalists in most of the awards were chosen from reader nominations with independent expert judges deciding the winners.

Among the most coveted was Best Restaurant. Carlisle Living had called on Guardian food critic Grace Dent, from Currock, to help choose between the final two.

The winner was Foxborough on Cecil Street.

Grace Dent said: “It's a warm-hearted, unique, groundbreaking place and the service was wonderful. Any restaurant that can get my 82-year old mother to eat and enjoy spicy nduja is a winner in my books.”

James Hill’s Lounge on the Green in Houghton was also highly praised by the judges and was given a special award for Best Food Newcomer. Grace said: “This place is a complete gem. Quite simply, this will be my go-to Carlisle fine dining restaurant from now on."

Best City Bar was Spider & Fly, which opened last year on Stanwix Bank.

Alex Murrell, who co-owns the bar with Thin White Duke’s Ilka Rhoades, said the win was a complete surprise.

“We didn’t expect to get it – bearing in mind the quality and number of bars in town and that we’ve been open less than a year."

One of the biggest cheers of the night was when Carlisle Castle’s Weeping Window poppies installation won Event of the Year. Music on the Marr was the Best Community Arts Initiative, while Tullie House’s Percy Kelly retrospective won Best Arts Initiative.

For making us beautiful, DreamsDay Spa, a previous winner, and Angel Hair Studio took the best beauty business and best hair salon titles, while Schuh in The Lanes won best retail team and Barrie Mark Fitness & Nutrition Centre was the winning health and fitness initiative.

Coffee Genius took Best City Café for the fourth year our of five, while the winner in a new category for Best Village Café was The Reading Room at Walton.

England netballer and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Helen Housby, from near Wigton, sent a delighted message from Australia, after being awarded The Sports City award, Carlisle-based cookery writer and Instagram star Julie Jones, The Soulful Baker, won a Style in the City Award, and Jacqui and Keith Jackson won The Innovation Award for The Guild workspace in Abbey Street.

Carlisle Living editor Richard Eccles said: "It's been another inspirational celebration of the best of a city which continues to grow and innovate despite all the challenges.

"It was great to see John Myers back on stage, to see the delight and surprise on the winners' faces, and what is always gratifying, the warmth and graciousness from the finalists who didn't win this year.

"It's all about 'Team Carlisle' and that's why it's so special."

The awards were in association with Carlsberg UK and Garden at Eden, and supported by Solway Communications. Category sponsors were, Pioneer Foodservice,

Carr’s Group, University of Cumbria, David Allen IT Solutions, Armstrong Watson, Carlisle Racecourse, Finesse, NXT Unique Recruitment Solutions, More Handles, PFK Estate Agency, Logic Business Systems, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, and Gretna Green Ltd