Bermuda has more restaurants than any other country in the world, with the exception of the United States, taking part in a fund-raising event tomorrow night for the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Restaurants around the globe will be giving ten percent of their takings tomorrow night to a fund for families of the 78 staff from the Windows on the World restaurant at the World Trade Center in New York who died and hundreds of other catering workers in the towers who perished in the disaster.

Around 50 restaurants around the Island are taking part in the campaign, called Windows of Hope, tomorrow night.

Jay Correia, chairman of the restaurants and night club division of the Chamber of Commerce, who is organising the event in Bermuda, said last night: "It's a staggering achievement.

"There are restaurants in Europe, Canada, Hong Kong, the Caribbean, elsewhere, but none has as many as us, with the exception of the US, which is absolutely fantastic."

He said the 50 businesses taking part represented the overwhelming majority of Island restaurants, but some had declined to take part. The full list of those taking part is published in today's Royal Gazette.

When asked why, Mr. Correia said: "Some have turned us down and opted to make donations through other means."

Mr. Correia said he believed the huge response from Bermuda was due in part because so many people on the Island work in the hospitality industry. Some staff will also be making donations to the fund.

And he urged as many people as possible to go out tomorrow to their favourite restaurant to raise money for the cause.

"I would ask everyone in Bermuda to go out on Thursday evening, in that way, in a very comfortable way, they can donate to an excellent cause that is very close to all of us.

"A lot of people have been struggling with how best to contribute, and given Bermuda's association with hospitality, that struck me right off the bat as a decent way to lend support."

Mr. Correia revealed last night that the executive chef at Windows on the World, who was due to come to Bermuda for this month's postponed inaugural culinary arts festival, narrowly escaped being killed in the terrorist attacks.

The chef, Michael Lomonaco, was due in at the World Trade Center at 8.30 a.m. but decided at the last minute to finally get his glasses repaired. "He was exceptionally lucky," said Mr. Correia.

Butterfield and Vallis, which is sponsoring today's annual Chef's Golf Tournament, will be providing cash instead of prizes for the event, which will be given to the Windows of Hope campaign.

A major US meat supplier which had trucks providing deliveries to the World Trade Center, will be at today's tournament at Riddell's Bay Golf Club.