Skipton's Keelham Farm Shop’s original concept in food retail has been recognised for its contribution to the rural economy, as the family-owned business claimed the title of Best Food & Drink Business at the prestigious national Rural Business Awards 2016.

Keelham Farm Shop, which has a shop in Thornton as well as Skipton, beat off 10 other finalists from across the UK to win the Best Food & Drink Business accolade. The title was awarded to the fresh food retailer by a panel of rural industry experts including Helen Woolley, Director General of the Country Land and Business Association, and Jim Dixon, a Trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund and director of two rurally-based businesses.

Commented co-owner of Keelham Farm Shop, James Robertshaw: “The whole Keelham team are thrilled that we’ve won such a fantastic award which understands and celebrates rural businesses like ours. It’s the relationships that we’ve built up with over 400 local farmers and producers over three generations of Robertshaws, that enable us to deliver affordable fresh food to around 19,000 customers a week. Yorkshire is a county of riches when it comes to farming and land-based business, and it’s really exciting that together we are helping to put Yorkshire on the national foodie map."

Awards co-founder Jemma Clifford said: “It’s great to see Yorkshire do so well in our Rural Business Awards with some fabulous winners in a broad spectrum of areas. The entry from Keelham Farm Shop in our food and drink category simply ticked every box that we were looking for. This was a strong candidate supporting local food producers and offering some really innovative, practical solutions to help local people access fresh locally grown food.”

The award follows a series of successes for Keelham Farm Shop, including are finalists in the 2016 Farm Shop & Deli Awards, the 2016 Family Business Place Red Ribbon Awards and the 2016 British Pie Awards.

Property services company Rural Solutions – also from Skipton – was a runner-up in the Best Rural Professional Services category.

Rural Solutions specialises in the diversification of property and land assets. Its advisory team consists of property professionals, analysts and researchers. The planning department is made up of senior ex-local authority planning policy and management personnel and there is also a dedicated architecture and project management business.

Awards co-founder Jemma Clifford said: “It’s great to see Yorkshire do so well in our Rural Business Awards with some fabulous winners in a broad spectrum of areas. The entry from Keelham Farm Shop in our food and drink category simply ticked every box that we were looking for. This was a strong candidate supporting local food producers and offering some really innovative, practical solutions to help local people access fresh locally grown food.

“ Rural Solutions was simply an excellent, successful business. They demonstrated growth on profits, creation of jobs and associated employment in rural communities, all based on a sound knowledge of the key aspects of rural life.”

Aimed at organisations based in the countryside, the Rural Business Awards recognise excellence in a range of different business categories, from innovation through to employment. Now in their second year, the awards were the brainchild of Leicestershire businesswomen Anna Price and Jemma Clifford, who believe that rural enterprises are often overlooked by other business prize-giving schemes based in urban areas. The award scheme has been praised by MPs including Nicky Morgan and Andrew Bridgen, both of whom have lent their support to the successful initiative. Each year’s awards sees an overall “champion of champions” which this year was Landmark Systems Ltd, a Sussex-based computer software company which won Best Rural Professional Services Business for its unique work helping rural customers run their businesses effectively.

CLA Director General Helen Woolley said: “I am delighted to have been a part of the judging panel and to see first-hand the passion for rural business demonstrated by all the finalists. There were some outstanding entries and my congratulations go to all the winners, every award is truly deserved.”

Rural Business Awards sponsor, Janine Edwards of Janine Edwards Wealth Management, Principal Partner of St James’s Place Wealth Management says: "The Rural Business Awards has seen a number of commendable and outstanding finalists. It has been a pleasure for my team and I to be involved in the whole process, and we are delighted to see that each and every winner has achieved the recognition they deserve. It is a huge accomplishment for all of the finalists to be involved in such a high-profile event and I’d like to congratulate them all on their success now and in the future!”

Entries for the 2017 Rural Business Awards open on November 1 – so any rural business that feels they deserve recognition for their achievements is strongly advised to get in touch! For more information visit: www.ruralbusinessawards.co.uk.