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Championing rural business

Countryside Alliance Awards

The Countryside Alliance Awards serve to highlight the best rural businesses in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They honour those who go the extra mile for their customers and communities.

Chatton Village Stores waving video

Nominations are OPEN!

Nominations for the 2025 Countryside Alliance Awards are open! Nominate your favourite rural businesses to highlight those within our communities that go the extra mile.

What are our categories?

The Countryside Alliance Awards are split into six categories, covering the key areas across rural business.

Butcher
Pub
Village Shop / Post Office
Local Food and Drink
Rural Enterprise
Clarissa Dickson Wright Award
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Butcher

Is this retailer a qualified and experienced butcher?

Is there a high regard for animal welfare?

Is this butcher championing 'local food' and supporting other local producers?

Has this retailer put the community on the map via the quality and diversity of local produce being sold, and have they breathed life into the community/local economy?

Is traditional butchery at the heart of the enterprise or have they brought a modern twist to this ancient skill?

Has this retailer saved or promoted a traditional local food that may otherwise have been lost?

Is educating the next generation a priority?

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Pub

Is this pub the heart of the community?

Is this pub putting its local area and produce on the map, reflecting its specific county/region in the food and drink it serves?

Is this pub enhancing the local economy and community, as well as welcoming tourists to this corner of the United Kingdom?

Would the area suffer if this pub were not there?

Is this pub remaining relevant and dynamic in a challenging business environment, and exhibiting a flair for hospitality?

Would winning this competition reward a really special enterprise and tell a positive story about rural life while championing local food and drink?

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Village Shop / Post Office

Are the owners of this shop the hub of the community, playing the key role of the rural local shopkeeper?

Do the owners of this shop go above and beyond the call of duty?

Are the owners of this shop ambassadors for local produce, helping their community to make informed choices about where their food comes from and giving them the chance to support their local producers?

Is the guiding motivation a sense of community?

Do these retailers deserve this national recognition and can they be an inspiration for all village shop owners at a time when so many are failing?

Will this business continue to fly the flag for the local area for some time to come?

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Local Food and Drink

Is this retailer championing 'local food' and supporting other local producers?

Has the community been put on the map by the quality and diversity of local produce being sold, and breathed life into the community/local economy?

Is there a passionate commitment from the retailer?

Has this retailer saved or promoted a traditional local food that may otherwise have been lost?

Would winning this competition reward a really special enterprise and tell a positive story about rural life?

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Rural Enterprise

Is this a diverse and energetic business?

Is more going on at this business than the core activities?

Is this business a growing asset to its community and making a real contribution?

Does this business enhance the local area?

Would winning this award be a well-deserved boost and help the business to develop further for the good of the community and the local economy?

Is there a commitment to the future of the countryside, to jobs and to the local community?

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Clarissa Dickson Wright Award

The Clarissa Dickson Wright Award was instituted in 2013 with Clarissa’s full knowledge and support.

Her Award centres on her belief in campaigning, educating and prioritising slow food, taste, quality and support for our farmers and producers.

What are our categories?

The Countryside Alliance Awards are split into six categories, covering the key areas across rural business.

Butcher

output-onlinetools (4)

Butcher

Is this retailer a qualified and experienced butcher?

Is there a high regard for animal welfare?

Is this butcher championing 'local food' and supporting other local producers?

Has this retailer put the community on the map via the quality and diversity of local produce being sold, and have they breathed life into the community/local economy?

Is traditional butchery at the heart of the enterprise or have they brought a modern twist to this ancient skill?

Has this retailer saved or promoted a traditional local food that may otherwise have been lost?

Is educating the next generation a priority?

Pub

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Pub

Is this pub the heart of the community?

Is this pub putting its local area and produce on the map, reflecting its specific county/region in the food and drink it serves?

Is this pub enhancing the local economy and community, as well as welcoming tourists to this corner of the United Kingdom?

Would the area suffer if this pub were not there?

Is this pub remaining relevant and dynamic in a challenging business environment, and exhibiting a flair for hospitality?

Would winning this competition reward a really special enterprise and tell a positive story about rural life while championing local food and drink?

Village Shop / Post Office

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Village Shop / Post Office

Are the owners of this shop the hub of the community, playing the key role of the rural local shopkeeper?

Do the owners of this shop go above and beyond the call of duty?

Are the owners of this shop ambassadors for local produce, helping their community to make informed choices about where their food comes from and giving them the chance to support their local producers?

Is the guiding motivation a sense of community?

Do these retailers deserve this national recognition and can they be an inspiration for all village shop owners at a time when so many are failing?

Will this business continue to fly the flag for the local area for some time to come?

Local Food and Drink

output-onlinetools (5)

Local Food and Drink

Is this retailer championing 'local food' and supporting other local producers?

Has the community been put on the map by the quality and diversity of local produce being sold, and breathed life into the community/local economy?

Is there a passionate commitment from the retailer?

Has this retailer saved or promoted a traditional local food that may otherwise have been lost?

Would winning this competition reward a really special enterprise and tell a positive story about rural life?

Rural Enterprise

output-onlinetools (6)

Rural Enterprise

Is this a diverse and energetic business?

Is more going on at this business than the core activities?

Is this business a growing asset to its community and making a real contribution?

Does this business enhance the local area?

Would winning this award be a well-deserved boost and help the business to develop further for the good of the community and the local economy?

Is there a commitment to the future of the countryside, to jobs and to the local community?

Clarissa Dickson Wright Award

output-onlinetools (2)

Clarissa Dickson Wright Award

The Clarissa Dickson Wright Award was instituted in 2013 with Clarissa’s full knowledge and support.

Her Award centres on her belief in campaigning, educating and prioritising slow food, taste, quality and support for our farmers and producers.

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Meet our Countryside Alliance Awards winners

Countryside Alliance Awards Resources

Learn more about the Countryside Alliance Awards

Frequently Asked Questions

How do the Countryside Alliance Awards work?

The Countryside Alliance Awards are driven by you, the general public, to help us highlight the very best of rural businesses.

It starts with our nominations phase where you nominate as many businesses as you like across our six categories. From there, we open to a public vote where you help choose our Champions. You can find out more about the Awards process here.

How are the winners chosen?

Our winners are chosen by a carefully selected panel of judges who use questionnaires sent in by our finalists to help make their decision.

What are the six categories?

Our six categories are as follows:

  • Butcher
  • Pub
  • Village Shop / Post Office
  • Local Food and Drink
  • Rural Enterprise
  • Clarissa Dickson Wright Award

You can find out more about each of our categories further up this page or here.

When does voting open to the public?

The nominations phase will open on Monday 9 September 2024 and will close on Sunday 17 November 2024. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with our timeline.