What are the Countryside Alliance Awards categories?

It all starts with you and your nominations of stand-out local businesses that are going that extra mile and who you think is deserving of national acclaim.

The past 20 years have seen us honour thousands of businesses, highlighting the efforts that many rural people go to for the benefit of their communities.

The benefits these awards provide cannot be overestimated, and those who have won have told us of the positive impact their recognition has had on everyone they know as well as bringing a boost to their business.

Below we have outlined our seven categories for 2027 and the key questions to consider before nominating a business.

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

• 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

• 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?

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 Britain?
• 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?

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?
• Would winning this competition reward a really special enterprise and tell a positive story about rural life and the farming industry?
• Does the retailer make an effort to meet their farmers?
• Is educating the next generation a priority?

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.
  
  

20th Anniversary Special AwarD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTRYSIDE

To mark this special anniversary, we are also introducing a one-off 20th Anniversary Award for outstanding contribution to the countryside. This special award will recognise an individual, business, organisation or community that has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to rural life and embodies the spirit of the Countryside Alliance Awards.

It could be someone who has spent decades supporting their community, a business that has become part of the fabric of rural life, or an organisation that has made a lasting difference to the countryside. After 20 years of celebrating rural heroes, this is our chance to recognise one truly outstanding contribution.

• Has this individual, business, organisation or community made an exceptional and lasting contribution to rural life?
• Have they gone above and beyond to support their local community and the countryside?
• Have they made a real and meaningful difference to rural life?
• Have they helped to protect, promote or celebrate the traditions, character or way of life of their rural community?
• Have they shown outstanding commitment, leadership or innovation?
• Is there a lasting legacy from their contribution, and will it benefit the countryside for years to come?
• Do they embody the spirit of the Countryside Alliance Awards?
• Would winning this special 20th Anniversary Award recognise an exceptional contribution and tell a truly inspiring story about rural Britain?