TEA lovers in one town in the region have always known that you have to travel some way to get a better cuppa - but now it's official.

Bettys Caf Tea Rooms, at Northallerton High Street, North Yorkshire, was named yesterday as one of just 12 tea cafes in Britain short-listed to win the caf world's "Oscars" - the Tea Council's Top Tea Place of the Year awards.

To be named as top tea place in 2001, Bettys will have to undergo a series of stringent tests by judges who will descend on the caf from across the country. The judges will test the range of teas on offer, the overall service offered and the atmosphere of the place