Game on for the Countryside Alliance Game Champion

The Countryside Alliance is excited to announce the four businesses shortlisted to become the first Game Champion in the history of the Countryside Alliance Awards.

At a time when everyone is talking about boosting the game meat market, the Countryside Alliance have introduced the award to honour excellence in promoting and marketing game to the general public. The Countryside Alliance Awards, also known as the Rural Oscars, are the most prestigious and well-supported of all rural business prizes. This year the Alliance has received over 11,000 nominations and has chosen four businesses from across the Butcher and Rural Pub categories who we think are worthy of the title Game Champion.


Having passed the judging criteria with full marks, the four businesses shortlisted are:

• Vicars Game, Berkshire - "Game is at the heart of this business which has grown from humble beginnings to now ensuring that game in the surrounding countryside area has a strong market. The quality and diversity of their products has attracted the attention of local customers as well as the London restaurant market."


• Kings Arms, Rutland - "The Kings Arms is known for its game and is the go to place for the surrounding area. They supply themselves with as much game as possible throughout the year and the issue of conservation is high on their agenda so support initiatives to tackle invasive species like grey squirrels with the RSST (Red Squirrel Survival Trust).


• Sutton Gamekeeper, Cheshire - "Game is what defines this pub and James has created something unique that not only promotes the use of game in cooking, but all of the additional benefits it provides to local businesses, land owners and people."


• Blagdon Farm Shop, Northumberland – "Their dedication to game is incredible. With nine local people stalking for them providing them with venison and birds from seven shoots they are ensuring this rural community with fantastic local game but they are also putting their money behind this commitment and created a bird processing plant and are the only independent game processor in Northumberland.

Awards Director, Sarah Lee, said: "For years the Countryside Alliance has been honouring businesses that are at the forefront of processing and selling game, and as the game meat market has become so important to our members and supporters we decided this year we would choose the very best example from our thousands of nominees to be crowned Game Champion. All of our regional winners from every category will be invited to Parliament on the 25th April, where we will be announcing our national winners and naming our first Game Champion."