Harrogate Advertiser Business Excellence Awards 2025: Entries are now open as our popular event celebrates its 20th year

Entries for our Harrogate Business Excellence Awards 2025 are now open, as the event celebrates its 20th year.

The prestigious awards continue to recognise and celebrate a diverse range of businesses and the vital role they play in driving the economic success of the Harrogate District.

The awards are open to businesses in every sector, trading anywhere within the circulation areas of this series of newspapers.

This covers the whole of the Harrogate District – including Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Ripon, Masham, Nidderdale and the Washburn Valley – as well as Wetherby and Tadcaster, plus the villages around these two towns.

The awards ceremony and gala dinner will be held on Thursday, September 25, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Majestic Hotel in Harrogate.

A spokesperson said: “This special anniversary event promises to be an unforgettable evening, bringing together over 300 esteemed guests from the business community.

“Attendees will enjoy a sparkling drinks reception, a sumptuous three-course meal paired with wine and the highlight of the evening – the awards presentation – which will leave you inspired and uplifted.

“Join us at the DoubleTree by Hilton Majestic Hotel on Thursday, September 25, to celebrate two decades of excellence and the very best of Harrogate's business community!”

The event is proudly supported by a group of local businesses, whose contributions have made this year’s gathering possible.

Special recognition goes to Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, HRH Group, Made Smarter, Turkish Baths Harrogate and Work Well Offices for their generosity.

In addition, the evening will include a raffle, with funds raised going to support the work of Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Simon Cotton, managing director of HRH Group, said: “We're delighted to once again be supporting the Harrogate Business Awards, the premier business awards for our town and district.

“I've seen over the last 20 years how these awards capture the interest of the local business community and how much it means for businesses to be shortlisted and of course win one of these prestigious awards.

“As well as the exposure these awards bring, the main night itself is always a fantastic opportunity for networking and is very much a room full of key business people from Harrogate and Yorkshire.”

Mike Pennington, from Made Smarter, said: “I have been part of the Harrogate Business Awards for the 20 year stint, and it’s important that we continue to support local businesses in the current environment.

“Manufacturing and digital tech has a huge role to play moving forward, hence the involvement again with Made Smarter Yorkshire.”

The selection process for the awards involves an impartial panel of industry experts who generously volunteer their time to evaluate submissions. These individuals are chosen for their expertise and experience.

The 2025 ceremony will see awards presented in 13 different categories:

Business in the Community Award

This award recognises a dynamic contribution a company has made to the local community by supporting local charities, initiatives or other community events.

Business Leader/Entrepreneur of the Year

This award celebrates a business leader or entrepreneur who shows outstanding drive, commitment and results.

Large Business of the Year

To recognise outstanding performance by a company with a workforce of more than 250 staff which is excelling in its field.

Small to Medium Business of the Year – sponsored by Work Well Offices

To recognise outstanding performance by a company with a workforce of 1-249 staff which is excelling in its field.

Best Independent Business of the Year

This category is aimed at independent businesses in the Harrogate District. This could be a privately owned business, a sole proprietorship or a business owned by a very small group of individuals.

Employee Health & Well-being Award – sponsored by Turkish Baths Harrogate

This category recognises businesses that have made a significant commitment to supporting employee health and well-being.

Tourism Award

This award will be presented to the organisation that can demonstrate the most significant contribution to improving the district’s offering as a tourism destination over the past couple of years and is open to any organisation connected to leisure or business tourism.

Sustainability Award

This award will be presented to a business that puts sustainability and the environment at the heart of its business.

Rural Business of the Year – sponsored by HRH Group

Celebrating businesses located in a rural community, small town, village or hamlet.

Technology & Digital Award – sponsored by Made Smarter

Open to SaaS companies, digital agencies and technology innovators who are excelling in their field.

Retail of Leisure Business of the Year

Open to any retail, leisure facility or similar business excelling in its field and driving positive economic impact for the area.

Hospitality Business of the Year

This category is open to any restaurant, hotel, café, pub or bar. This category aims to celebrate and reward the hospitality businesses who are showing the highest levels of commitment and success in the Harrogate District and surrounding areas.

Overall Business of the Year

This award is new to 2025 to celebrate 20 years of the Harrogate Business Awards. This category cannot be entered. This year, all the businesses that are winners are automatically put forward and our judges have to decide upon the coveted Overall Business of the Year title for 2025. The winner will be announced on the night at the live awards ceremony.

To submit nominations for this year’s awards, visit https://www.nationalworldevents.com/hba-2025/

The deadline for entries is Friday, July 25.

For sponsorship enquiries, contact events business development manager, Jodie Selby, on [email protected]