About The RBAs

The Rural Business Awards were established in late 2014 by Jemma Clifford and Anna Price – two business owners who work in rural Leicestershire. The first Awards were presented in October 2015 and the RBAs are now entering their 5th year.

The Rural Business Awards (RBAs) work with partner organisations large and small, Amazon are our headline partners for the third year running. Amongst other organisations to lend their support to the RBAs have been Openreach, Prysm Group via Farm Business Innovation, HSBC, DEFRA, the CLA, Fisher German, Avantigas, the FSB, and the IFB as well as many niche rural organisations and charities.

The aim of the awards has not changed over the years and we aim to give recognition to businesses operating right across the Rural sector, to acknowledge the breadth and depth of opportunity presented by the Great British countryside, as well as to celebrate the achievements of our rural businesses, from engineering through to artisan food producers and professional services organisations.

The eleven awards are decided by an independent panel of judges drawn from the rural business sector, official agencies and rural charitable organisations. The aim is to grow The Rural Business Awards to become the UK’s most prestigious and respected awards for rural businesses and to develop a strong network and community of rural business owners.

RBA Objectives

  • To become the UK’s premier awards programme for rural businesses
  • To acknowledge and celebrate the vital contributions made by companies to the development and success of the Rural sector and rural way of life
  • To encourage entrepreneurial spirit in the Rural sector, and to give recognition to excellence in business set-up, operation and management
  • To reward businesses who value their rural roots – who contribute to increased employment, better infrastructure and the training of young people to address the drain of people migrating from rural regions to cities.
  • To raise awareness nationally of the impact that rural businesses have on the UK economy, communities and people.
  • To contribute to the debate around the need to ensure rural locations are adequately ‘connected’ so that they are not disadvantaged by location – be that by broadband, transport, support services etc. which ensure rural communities can not only survive but can thrive.
  • To bring rural businesses together to share their challenges, triumphs, best practices, innovations and ideas, to peer mentor each other and grow a rural business community

Our Award Categories are:

  1. Best Rural Start Up Business
  2. Best Rural Diversification Project
  3. Best Rural Retail Business
  4. Best Rural Professional Services Business
  5. Best Rural Creative, Artisan or Crafts Business
  6. Best Rural Digital, Communications or Media Business
  1. Rural Social Enterprise, Charity or Community Project of the Year
  2. Best Rural Tourism Business
  3. Best Rural Recreational or Outdoor Pursuits Business
  4. Best Rural Food or Drink Business
  5. Rural Young Person of the Year