The South East's finalists in the 2016 Countryside Alliance Awards (aka the Rural Oscars) have been announced, with businesses from across the region going head to head for a regional title and a shot at national glory.
The Awards are the Countryside Alliance's annual celebration of rural produce, skills, enterprise and heritage through our small hard-working businesses. They are now in their twelfth year and have become the definitive rural business award to win. This year we received over 7,500 nominations, meaning these finalists truly are the best of the best. The Awards are public-nomination led across five categories:
- Local Food & Drink
- Village Shop/ Post Office
- Tourism Enterprise
- Farm Enterprise
- Butcher
The finalists in the 2016 Rural Oscars in the South East are:
Local food/ drink category
- Fernygrove Farm, Hawthorn Hill, Warfield, Berkshire www.fernygrovefarm.co.uk/
- Laceys Family Farm, Lane End, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire www.laceysfamilyfarm.co.uk/
- Broughton Water Buffalo, Stockbridge, Hampshire www.broughtonwaterbuffalo.co.uk/
- Briddlesford Lodge Farm, Wootton Bridge, Ryde, Isle of Wight www.briddlesfordlodgefarm.com/
Village shop / Post Office category
- Compton Village Shop, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire
- Ripe Village Stores, Ripe, Lewes, East Sussex http://ripevillagestores.co.uk/
- Clatfords Village Store and Post Office, Goodworth Clatford, Andover, Hampshire www.clatfordsvillagestore.org.uk/
- Bidborough Stores, Bidborough, Kent
- Dunsfold Village Shop and Post Office, Dunsfold, Surrey www.dunsfoldvillageshop.co.uk/
Tourism enterprise category
- The Llama Farm, Wych Cross, Forest Row, East Sussex www.llamapark.co.uk/
- Secret Campsite, Barcombe, Littleworth, East Sussex www.thesecretcampsite.co.uk/
- Wallops Wood Cottages, Droxford, Hampshire www.wallopswoodcottages.co.uk/
- Hampton Estate, Seale, Farnham, Surrey www.hamptonestate.co.uk/
Farm enterprise
- Cholsey Farm Riding, Ibstone, Buckinghamshire http://cholseyfarm.co.uk
- Claydon Christmas Tree Farm, West Street, Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire www.claydonchristmastreefarm.co.uk/
- Douglas Partners, Little Horsted, Uckfield, East Sussex
- Ford Farm Stables, Burley Road, Brockenhurst, Hampshire www.fordfarmstables.co.uk/
Butcher
- Saddleback Farm Shop, Brightwalton, Berkshire www.saddlebackfarmshop.co.uk/
- Owtons Family Butchers, West End, Southampton, Hampshire www.owtons.com/
- John Robinson, High Class Family Butcher, Stockbridge, Hampshire
- Park Farm Butchers, Hawkhurst, Kent www.parkfarmbutchers.co.uk/
Notes:
- Each business will receive a visit from judges.
- Our regions are: North, Midlands, East, South West, South East, Wales.
- Regional winners will be announced in February and will advance to the national finals.
- The Parliamentary reception will be held on Wednesday 22nd March 2017
- Follow the Awards on Twitter @CAAwards and use the hashtag #RuralOscars