A COFFEE shop and a French restaurant in Skipton are celebrating after being recognised at The Yorkshire Prestige Awards

Bean Loved, in Otley Street, was named Yorkshire's coffee shop of the year while Le Caveau, in the High Street, picked up the award for best French restaurant.

The awards, which recognise small and medium-sized businesses across the UK, chose Bean Loved, a family run business which has been in the town for 15 years as a worthy winner based on its service excellence, quality of food and drinks, innovative practices, as well as its ethical and sustainable methods of working.

Taking into consideration reviews from social media, Google and Trip Advisor, as well as passing a ‘mystery shop’ visit from the judging panel, the team impressed judges with its consistency in performance.

Wes Bond, owner of Bean Loved, said: “We are all absolutely delighted to be given this award. It is a real pat on the back for all the team – from the kitchen staff to front of house. It gives them the recognition they truly deserve for all their hard work and dedication.

“Everything we were judged on is something we strive to achieve, every single day. I firmly believe we are consistently good at what we do, and to be recognised for that is an honour. It is a worrying time for many small businesses as the cost-of-living crisis continues, so we are extremely grateful to all our lovely customers who come in and continue to enjoy visiting Bean Loved.”

Of Le Caveau, the judges said: "The chef takes advantage of the first class ingredients on offer in this part of the country and adapts the menu accordingly."

They went on to praise the restaurant for serving 'fresh, seasonal and local produce' to an eclectic mix of customers including both locals and visitors, adding: "The French specialities on the menu have made Le Caveau a favourite destination for food fans."

Mark Byron, chef/patron, said: "We’re over the moon to get the recognition especially with all the hard work over the last few years through the lockdowns and the reopening I would like to extended a massive thank you to my small team for all their hard work in helping achieve this."

Andrew White, a judge for The Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards, commented: “Winners demonstrated a strong presence in showing motivation and drive within their industry. We are keen to see how they will continue to succeed in the future.”

An awards presentation took place at Hazelwood Castle, Tadcaster.