Family businesses make a huge contribution to the economy and employ thousands across the region – and yet they are all too often taken for granted.
That’s something the North West Family Business Awards aim to address, by celebrating all that’s great about the sector.
The event will be held on May 13 in the Rum Warehouse at Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel and will recognise businesses in 14 categories.
The events initially honoured businesses across Cumbria and expanded to cover the whole North West for the first time in 2020, with a ceremony held just days before the first lockdown.
Rachel Lord, the marketing manager for the awards, said: ‘The event has grown, we have more categories now and we are seeing increased interest from businesses across the region. The awards are about raising the profile of the family business sector and celebrating the diversity.
‘A lot of people don’t realise how many family businesses there are and what a huge contribution they make to the economy in the North West, and nationally.
‘They are the backbone of the economy. The latest figures are from 2019 and they show that there are more than 5.2m family businesses in the UK, employing 14.2m people and generating about a third of the UK’s GDP.’
Rachel has worked with the awards for four years but her own family business dates back to 1901- her two brothers are now the sixth generation to be involved with the Bury-based industrial flooring and architectural steelwork firm.
She added: ‘There is a massive heritage of entrepreneurship and innovation in the North West and that is reflected in the list of finalists for this year’s awards. Some of the businesses who are finalists this year are long-established firms with a proud history over five or six generations, but others are young businesses run by husband and wife teams who are just at the start of their journeys.
‘There is a recognition throughout the sector that family businesses all face similar challenges and these awards are not like any other business awards – the ceremony is fun, friendly and mutually supportive, there’s a real feeling of community and togetherness in the room.
‘The pandemic has had a huge impact on all kinds of businesses but it’s often the case that businesses of the kind we are celebrating are better able to evolve and adapt to situations.’
Trusted judges
For 75 years Lancashire Life has celebrated the region’s best food and drink producers and the finest places around the county to eat and drink.
And we’re delighted to be part of the judging process for the Food and Drink Establishments category at this year’s North West Family Business Awards.
Three venues have been shortlisted for the award: The Crafty Baa at Windermere, The Yan at Broadrayne and The Dalesman Country Inn at Sedbergh.
The finalists
Agribusiness
Smithills Open Farm
Enviro systems UK Ltd
Piper Hole Goat Farm
Best Social Impact – ESG & Grass Roots
ESG:
Herdy
Story Decorating Group Ltd
Mission CX
Grassroots:
The Dalesman Country Inn
Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates Ltd
Elektec
Business Services
Employment Law Solutions
The Plastic Bottles Company
Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates Ltd
St Bees Little Learners Ltd
Hackney & Leigh
Construction & Engineering
Clark Door Limited
Story Decorating Group Limited
JJ Smith & Co
Elektec
Harry Barker Properties Ltd
Emerging Family Business
Dotty and V
Cheshire Botanicals
Food & Drink Establishments
The Crafty Baa
The Yan at Broadrayne
The Dalesman Country Inn
Food and Drink Producers
Shed 1 Distillery Ltd
Spice Kitchen
Pennington’s Tea and Coffee Ltd
Haulage and Logistics
Farrall’s Group
Fagan & Whalley Ltd
G&J Shuttleworth Ltd
Leisure and Tourism
Lakesman Events Limited
The Yan at Broadrayne
Partington’s Holiday Parks
Lake District Hotels Ltd
Manufacturing
Qualkem Limited
Clark Door Limited
Algeos
Retailers
Great Drams Ventures Ltd
Laurens Cows
Herdy
Wholesalers
Dunsters Farm Ltd
Abbey England Ltd
K&S McKenzie
Algeos
Employee of the Year
Border Steelwork Structures
Stables Pies Ltd
EWGA Wines
G&J Shuttleworth Ltd
Partington’s Holiday Parks
Aladdin’s Cave Entertainments
Algeos
Mantle Packaging Ltd
Cheshire Air Conditioning Services
People’s Choice – Cumbria
Pennington’s Tea & Coffee Ltd
The Crafty Baa
Cable & Blake Ltd
F Scott Homes
Lady of the Swans & Stars
Lakeland Artisan
Lakeland Fleet Management
Stiles Coffee Bar
Super Lawns Ltd
Ullswater Steamers
Shed 1 Distillery
The New Westport Corporation Ltd
Absoluxe Suites
People’s Choice – Lancashire
EWGA Wines
Mantle Packaging Ltd
Stables Pies Ltd
Morecambe Bay Wills & Estates Ltd
New Brooms
Radford’s Pie Company
The Coggin Group
Pendle Doors
People’s Choice – Greater Manchester
The Two Tubs
Smithills Open Farm
Jardin Living Ltd
RVA Surveyors
Dunsters farm
Signature Flooring
People’s Choice – Cheshire
Cheshire Air Conditioning
Blue Whale Media
Compassionate Care Group
Embrace Performing Arts Ltd
Employment Law Solutions
Qualkem Limited
Great Drams Ventures Ltd
Cheshire Botanicals
Kids Planet
People’s Choice – Merseyside
JJ Smith & Co
Spice Kitchen
Aladdin’s Cave Entertainments
Algeos
* The North West Family Business Awards ceremony will be held on May 13 in the Rum Warehouse at Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel.
