Representing Yorkshire in the grand final of the Newspaper Society’s Local Business Accelerators campaign later this month, Ilkley Brewery is now competing against 11 other finalists to be crowned The People’s Choice, a separate award running alongside the main competition. Supporters of the spa town brewery can cast their votes by visiting www.newspapersoc.org.uk/local-business-accelerators-the-peoples-choice now.

The People’s Choice

The Newspaper Society has launched a video competition allowing members of the public to choose their favourite Local Business Accelerators (LBA) regional winning business ahead of the Local Business Accelerators grand final at the end of the month.

Video interviews with the owners of the 12 regional winners can be watched on The People’s Choice page and viewers can vote for their favourite before midnight on 24 June using the online poll.

The winner will then be announced at the LBA Grand Final, alongside the campaign’s overall winner as selected by an independent judging panel. The People’s Choice is a separate award and the vote will not affect the decision on which business will be crowned the LBA champion.

LBA is a national initiative by the local media industry to boost local business. It has the backing of high profile figures including David Cameron, the CBI’s John Cridland and Business Secretary Vince Cable.

More than 3,100 promising young businesses across the UK applied for a place on the scheme with successful businesses winning free advertising in their local paper and mentoring from local business leaders.

A judging panel led by LBA’s national ambassador Deborah Meaden, of Dragon’s Den, whittled down entries to a shortlist of 12 regional winners who are in with a chance to be crowned overall LBA champion and win mentoring from Deborah.

Shortlisted businesses come from a variety of sectors and include a brewery, a confectionery maker, a recruitment consultant and a maternity wear retailer, and a communications company.

To find out more about Ilkley Brewery, visit: www.ilkleybrewery.co.uk or to read the brewery’s blog, go to: www.ilkleybreweryblog.blogspot.com