A NUMBER of Craven businesses are among 57 county-wide shortlisted for awards in this year’s Garbutt & Elliott 2020 Yorkshire Food and Drink Business awards.

Plans have been made for a virtual celebration and announcement of the winners on October 21.

The celebrations, now in their third year, celebrate Yorkshire’s growing food and drink industry and businesses from across the region who are making a real impact and who support its growing position in the national and international food and drink market place. This year’s competition is made up of 15 categories with a total of 57 shortlisters. The winners of each of the categories are entered into an ‘Overall Winner’ category which is judged by chef consultant Stephanie Moon and York and Leeds-based chartered accountants Garbutt & Elliott.

Stephanie, a farmer’s daughter from Tosside, in North Craven, and a Craven College alumna said: “The awards going virtual is fantastic because it’s taking the food and drink awards and making it open to everybody. It gives the winners the chance to have their moment, tell their family and friends and everyone can see their moment which is brilliant.”

Over 150 businesses entered the awards and shortlisted entrants include businesses from across the region.

Those from the district who are into the final include dairy farm and skyr yoghurt producer, Hesper, which has been nominated for two awards in the Business Innovation and SME below £500k categories.

Skipton-based restaurant and hotel, Grassington House has been shortlisted for the Nourish Yorkshire award alongside the Tennants Arms Hotel. Owner and chef of Grassington House, John Rudden, has also been shortlisted for the Yorkshire Food and Drink Ambassador award.

Skipton’s Whitakers Chocolates has been nominated for Producer of the Year and the Yorkshire Dales Food and Drink Festival has been shortlisted for the Spirit of Yorkshire award, which celebrates the best food festivals across the region.

A celebratory awards evening had been planned to be held in September, however the coronavirus restrictions have meant that instead, shortlisters are being invited to be part of an awards roadshow ahead of the winners’ announcements. Stephanie Moon, and members of the Garbutt & Elliott team are visiting their premises to take a ‘behind the scenes’ tour and interview the shortlisters. The roadshow will be shared across Garbutt & Elliott’s social media pages to showcase the shortlisted businesses in the build-up to the announcements.