Two businesses in running for 'Rural Oscars'

Two Warwickshire businesses have made the short-list of finalists for the 2015 Countryside Alliance Awards - also known as the 'rural oscars.'

Barford Village shop has been nominated in the Village shop/Post office category while Lower Clopton Farm is in the running for the Local Food category.

It is an excellent achievement by the two businesses to be short-listed for the awards which are held to celebrate high levels of rural produce, skills, enterprise and heritage at rural small businesses.

Lower Clopton Farm is among the ten finalists based whose geographical spread stretches from Cornwall to North Yorkshire in the north in the Local Food category.

In the Village Shop/Post Office category, the competition for Barford Village Shop will be just as fierce as they share the short-list with finalists from Suffolk, Kent, Gloucestershire, Dorset, North Yorkshire, Hertfordshire, Cornwall, Herefordshire, Devon and Berkshire.  

Awards director Jill Grieve said: "We have been overwhelmed by nominations this year, so for Barford Village Shop and Lower Clopton Farm Shop to get this far is a huge achievement for them.

"Both are very good examples of all that is best about local businesses. The secret to the Rural Oscars' popularity is that they honour the people involved in these businesses and not just their products or services. The awards exist to sing the praises of those who work hard to keep out communities and rural economy ticking, but don't seek the spotlight."

The award-winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in London on April 27. To find out more about the Countryside Alliance, visit www.countryside-alliance.org