A pair of butchers and a well-known farm shop have fallen at the final hurdle in their bids for victory at the ‘rural Oscars’.

Joint regional butchers champions Ellisons, from Cullingworth, and Lishman’s, of Ilkley, were at the House of Lords yesterday for the grand final of the UK and Ireland Countryside Alliance Awards 2012. But their hopes of success were thwarted when judges gave first prize to Nolan’s of Kilcullen, in County Kildare, Ireland.

Meanwhile, Keelham Farm Shop, in Thornton, Bradford, also fell just short in local food category after claiming the Yorkshire title earlier this year. The shop was beaten by Suffolk Food Hall, in Ipswich, at the competition, regarded as one of the most prestigious in the country.

Regional judges had been unable to decide between Ellisons and Lishman’s, putting both forward for the final, while Keelham won the local food category for supporting 250 Yorkshire producers, running its own bus service and carrying out educational work in Bradford district.

The judging panel at the grand final was chaired by Countryside Alliance executive chairman Barney White-Spunner and included TV cook Clarissa Dickson Wright, Farmers Guardian editor Emma Penny, Philip Johnston of the Daily Telegraph and Chris Dewbury, of Hunter Boot.