Harrogate Business Excellence Awards 2024: Christine Talbot announced as host of this year's prestigious ceremony

Christine, who has been a journalist for more than 30 years and is well-known to viewers of ITV's Calendar news programme, will host the event as the Harrogate Advertiser’s popular annual awards evening returns for another year.

The hunt for the best businesses and business people in the district is on, with entries now open.

Following the success of our 2023 event, which saw more than 300 attendees on the night, we are planning on making this year even bigger and better.

The awards, now in their 19th year, identify and celebrate the cream of the local business community.

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 which includes Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Ripon, Masham, Nidderdale and the Washburn Valley – as well as Wetherby and Tadcaster plus the villages around these two towns.

Entries for the awards will close on April 14 at 11pm.

Winners will be announced at the glitzy black tie awards ceremony at the Pavilions of Harrogate on May 23 from 7pm.

Guests will enjoy a drinks reception, a deluxe three course meal with wine, entertainment, as well as the awards themselves, which promise to have you on your feet as we celebrate the very best of Harrogate.

We are pleased to announce several new sponsors - Berwins, Harrogate Chamber of Commerce and Windsor House - who join those already confirmed for the 2024 event including the HRH Group, Made Smarter, Cedar Court Hotels and Verity Frearson.

Our charity partner is Harrogate-based Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Here is the full list of categories at the Harrogate Business Excellence Awards 2024:

Apprentice/Trainee of the Year.

Retail or Leisure Business of the Year.

Technology and Digital Award.

Hospitality Business of the Year.

Rural Business of the Year.

Sustainability Award.

Tourism Award.

Business in the Community Award.

Employee Health and Wellbeing Award.

Best Independent Business of the Year.

Best SME Company.

Large Business of the Year.

Business Leader/Entrepreneur of the Year.

Overall Business of the Year.

Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more information and to submit your nominations, visit www.harrogatebusinessawards.co.uk