THE WINNERS of the 2021 Otley Business Awards have been announced.

Now in its seventh year the annual Otley OBAs have grown to become a regular fixture on the calendar for shops, cafes, pubs and commercial businesses as some of the town's 360 or so businesses are assessed to find those offering the best service.

Awards were handed out by the new Otley Chamber of Trade President, Simon Raybould, where possible and safe to do so, bringing to a close three months of organization.

OBA organizer Helen Wilkinson said, “After a long period of hibernation for many of Otley’s businesses, especially retail, beauty and hospitality, it’s been a real pleasure to see the nominations flood in from customers for a wide range of the town’s businesses and also a pleasure to receive the often glowing findings of our mystery shoppers.

"The Awards are open to every business in Otley, all that’s needed is for one customer to nominate them in one of the categories then they will be judged. Each of the 13 categories had a real variety of nominations this year, including many businesses that haven’t featured in previous years.

"All our mystery shoppers live outside Otley, from places such as Silsden and one as far as West Bromwich, which made judging a challenge as our mystery shoppers have been unable to reasonably travel to Otley from the towns they live in to make personal visits. "Although some categories could be judged as in previous years by anonymous mystery shopper visits, most businesses have been closed this January and February so those assessments had to be made by a mixture of online reviews, websites, social media and phone enquiries.

"Sadly, circumstances also prevented us staging the usual glittering awards evening ceremony as we have done each March since 2015 but we hope to be back with a bang next year. The OBAs are so important to the town in generating a buzz, raising spirits and reminding our beleaguered shops, cafes, pubs and commercial businesses how highly Otley’s shopping public regards them together with reminding everyone of the diverse offer Otley’s town centre has.”

In the 2021 awards a special mention went to Sally Hinchliffe of Bondgate Bakery who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for many years of consistent voluntary contributions to the town, over and above her own business.

The OBA Winners 2021 were:-

Best Apprentice – Florence Waudby of Otley Dental Care.

Best Newcomer – Like Nana Did.

Best Retail Award – Rachel Michael, Odds & Ends.

Best Pub/Bar Award – The Fleece.

Best Eatery – Salami & Co Coffee House.

Best Service Sector – Business to Business - The Yorkshire Wordwright.

Best Service Sector – Business to Customer – Tailored Dog Grooming.

Best Kerb Appeal – Nam Jai Thai.

Good Service Award – Retail Sector – Ivy House Botanicals & Wellbeing.

Good Service Award – Service Sector – Maggie Tiernan Personal Trainer.

Environmental Award – Like Nana Did.

Covid-19 Community Award – O’Fresh for Shop Otley.

Lifetime Achievement Award – Sally Hinchliffe of Bondgate Bakery.

Organisers thanked the Otley Business Awards sponsors, Otley Business Improvement District and Otley Town Council.

The first Otley Business Awards were held at Korks Wine Bar in 2015.

At that event former Otley Chamber of Trade president and long-serving member Trevor Backhouse, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of his hard work.

There were various categories and nine businesses were shortlisted, through public nominations, for a Good Service Award.

The 2016 event, organised by Otley Chamber of Trade, in partnership with Otley BID and Otley Town Council, was attended by more than 100 business owners.