THE EXCELLENCE of Otley’s businesses has been celebrated - despite this year’s Business Awards ceremony being cancelled.

The award winners were due to be announced at Otley Parish Church on Friday, March 20 but the organisers decided to call off the event due to COVID-19 related concerns.

Determined to still ensure the winners were properly recognised, the Otley Business Awards committee went around town - before the current coronavirus lockdown - to present the certificates and awards to the victors.

Committee Chair Katie Burnett said it was only right to still ‘celebrate the fabulous businesses who had gone through a six month long process of getting their customers to nominate them’.

She added: “They were then mystery shopped and assessed by shoppers who do not live locally, and knew nothing about the nominated businesses, so they were truly judged blind.”

Reflecting on the week when the decision was taken to cancel the awards ceremony, she said: “It had been a particularly hard week for many businesses with the gradual cancellation of orders and events and no-one really knowing if a full lockdown was on the cards.

“So it really felt like we were spreading a little bit of joy and it was lovely to go and visit some of the town’ business owners.

“It felt very strange, as normally you want to give people a hug when they are overwhelmed by good news, but we had to resort to elbow bumps and smiles.

“It was awful when we realised we would have to cancel the event, which had taken eight months to plan, but with hindsight it was definitely the right thing to do - and we’ll be back next year.”

As well as awards for all the category winners the committee presented a special ‘thankyou’, in the form of a bouquet from Flowers by Alishia at The Orchard Florist, to one of the stalwarts of the town, Stephanie Lee.

Katie said: “We wanted to say a big thanks on behalf of the Otley Business Community for all Stephanie has done over the years for the town as she steps down from her many volunteering duties this year.

“Steph has been instrumental in setting up the Otley Business Improvement District and acted as Chair for the first few years.

“She has played an massive role in putting on the Otley Victorian Fayre and has also been a key player in many of the Otley Town Partnership projects.”

The winners of this year’s Otley Business Awards are: Community Award - White Rose Training; Outstanding Employee - Kayleigh Thorne at Angels Hair Beauty Massage; Best Employer - Dales Veterinary Centre; Best Apprentice/Trainee - Amber Brown at Etempa Web Solutions; Best Kerb Appeal - Ivy House Botanicals and Wellbeing; Environmental Award - The Ethical Jeweller; Best Micro Business - Fink Eyewear; Good Service Award - Otley Mobiles; Best Newcomer - Soma Wellness; Best Café - Cranberry; Best Food & Drink - Buon Apps; Best Pub/Bar - Groove Pad; Best Retail - Peek a Boo; Best Service Sector - Scaife Hall Farm; Best Large Business - Newstead & Walker;

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Otley builder Richard Houldsworth.