Recognising and celebrating the best of the Bay
The nominations are in, the judges’ votes have been counted, and the first Bay Living Awards finalists can now be revealed. There were more than 400 nominations to choose from, with some tough decisions to be made. The winners will be announced at our awards ceremony on September 7.
Best Small Independent Retailer
Begin With Nature, Kendal – Natural handmade body and bath products.
Little Beasties, Ulverston – Pet shop, holiday service, rescue & re homing.
Silver Tree Jewellery, Lancaster – Specialist sterling silver jewellery store.
Best Business Team - Sponsored by Lancaster City Council
Coco Hair & Beauty, Barrow – More than 50 years of beauty experience under one roof.
Howsons Interiors, trading as Lakeland Kitchens, Kendal – Creating and installing dream kitchens.
WINK Networking – Networking, inspiration and support for the Bay’s businesswomen.
Best Customer Service - Sponsored by Invest in south lakeland
Black Bear IT Solutions, Lancaster – 24/7 technical support.
Brew me Sunshine, Morecambe – Charity coffee shop run by Galloway’s Society for the Blind.
Reid Hamilton & Co, Lancaster – Personal and commercial insurance brokers.
Silver Tree Jewellery, Lancaster – Specialist sterling silver jewellery store.
Best Boss - Sponsored by Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce
Rebecca Rawlings, Women’s Community Matters, Barrow – The dedicated driving force behind this empowering organisation.
Annette Ritson, Net* Development Ltd, Kendal – The leader of this small but highly creative design, digital and marketing agency.
Susan Robinson, Nanny Brow, Ambleside – An inspirational owner of a luxury B&B.
Best Professional Service - Sponsored by Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce
Harrison Pitt Architects, Lancaster – building design, planning and solutions across every sector.
Professional Help Ltd, Carnforth – helping organisations care for the mental health of their staff.
Reid Hamilton & Co, Lancaster – personal and commercial insurance brokers.
Best Celebration Venue
Abbey House Hotel & Gardens, Barrow – A luxury historic venue.
The Daffodil Hotel & Spa, Grasmere – A beautiful lakeshore destination.
The Midland, Morecambe – An iconic seafront landmark.
Best Health and Fitness Centre
3-1-5 Health Club, Lancaster – A club which aims to tear up the industry rule book.
Bayfit Ltd, Morecambe – A close-knit club with a great community focus on health.
MFKB Muay Thai, Kendal – A friendly fun club building fitness, health and confidence.
Best Arts/Entertainment Venue
The Dukes, Lancaster – Creating and presenting theatre that changes lives for the better.
The Lancaster Grand Theatre – A major player in the city’s social and cultural life.
More Music, Morecambe – Staging music and culture at The Hothouse and joyful events.
Best Hair Salon
Cabello Hair Lounge, Carnforth – A warm, welcoming and friendly salon, thanks to owner Katie.
Daniel Gray Hair & Beauty, Kendal – On-trend cuts and colours from experienced stylists.
Jo & Cass, Lancaster – A hugely successful company which has grown from just two to a team of 170.
Best Coffee Shop/Café - Sponsored by Wilson's Fresh Produce
Brew Me Sunshine, Morecambe – A charity cafe for Galloway’s Society for the Blind which is a thriving social hub.
Buccelli’s, Lancaster – A taste of real Rome in the heart of the city.
Elaine’s Tea Room, Feizor, near Austwick – What started as a hobby is now a destination for locals and visitors alike.
Best Beauty Business
Bare Skin, Morecambe – Not beauticians but clinicians, transforming skin concerns affecting quality of life.
Jo & Cass, Lancaster – Stylish hair, lovely make-up and luxurious beauty treatments from a professional team.
Sue Shields Spa, Carnforth – A tranquil haven offering innovative and personalised treatments.
Best Country Pub
The Blacksmiths Arms, Broughton Mills – A firm favourite, with a cosy bar and home-cooked fare.
The Silverdale Hotel, Silverdale – A family-run venue with proper pub grub.
The Wild Boar, Windermere – A traditional inn with its own smokehouse and brewery.
Best Town/City Pub or Bar
Masons Yard 24, Kendal – You can watch the action in the open plan kitchen at this new bar and brasserie.
Slate Bar, Kendal – Coffee by day, cocktails by night, charcuterie platters and classy themed evenings.
The Sun Hotel & Bar, Lancaster – Craft beers, spirits and wines with relaxed comfortable dining.
The Innovation Award
CAMP Cumbria, Coniston – A unique and inclusive childcare provider, with activities, transport and care for special needs.
Adrian Coates, Beetham Holiday Homes, Milnthorpe – From rural broadband and remote monitoring for lodge owners to developing gas and water systems.
Stephenson’s Dairy, Morecambe – The first UK dairy to offer free range Pasture Promise milk, pioneering an ethical product that benefits farmers financially.
Best Restaurant - Sponsored by Wilson's Fresh Produce
L’Enclume, Cartmel – Simon Rogan’s iconic riverside eatery with an emphasis on perfectly traceable food.
Hipping Hall, Cowan Bridge – Lancastrian Oli Martin blends classic training with progressive cookery styles.
The Morecambe Hotel, Morecambe – A former coaching inn which mixes traditional English flavours with international ingredients.
The Entrepreneur Award - Sponsored by Lancaster City Council
Hydropaws, Morecambe – Areated a new business from scratch, right down to the pool plumbing, and now offering multiple services for pet owners.
David Unsworth, Cartmel – The creator of Unsworth’s Yard, he transformed an old petrol station into homes and an artisan food court destination.
Carolyn Walker, Carolyn’s Art, Lancaster – Full of ideas for transforming the lives of the care home residents she works with, always within their limited abilities and physical issues.
Best Place to Stay
Abbey House Hotel & Gardens, Barrow – Contemporary comfort and design in a lovely historic setting.
The Midland Hotel, Morecambe – An Art Deco gem credited with launching Morecambe’s revival.
Nanny Brow, Ambleside – Luxury B&B accommodation perched high on its own Lake District crag.
Best Visitor Attraction or Event
Carnforth Station Heritage Centre – A step back in time at the home of the Brief Encounter refreshment room.
Morecambe Carnival – One of the highlights of the Bay’s calendar, attracting tens of thousands of visitors.
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway – La’al Ratty is a little piece of history with endless visitor appeal.
Employee of the Year - Sponsored by Invest in South Lakeland
Michael Jones, Animal Care, Lancaster – Fantastic ideas, fabulous attitude, receives five star reviews and makes a huge impact.
Joanne Nelson. Slate Bar, Kendal – Loved by the business owners, staff, customers and suppliers, developing service to a level.
Rachael Wilkinson, Lancaster BID – Inspiring, with enviable organisational skills, whether she’s creating events or building partnerships.
Best Local Charity
Cancer Care, Slynedales, Lancaster – Helping thousands of families affected by life-limiting conditions with counselling and therapies.
North West Air Ambulance – Reaching, treating and rescuing patients to save lives and reduce long term injury.
Tigerlily Trust, Grange-over-Sands – Creating tangible memories for bereaved parents.
Best Use of Creativity
Cumbria Constabulary – Using social media, story telling and video to reach more than a million people and raise awareness of child sexual exploitation.
Claire Tillotson, HatCH, Lancaster – Clothes for kids, inspired by the great outdoors, created by a young mum who also works as an art teacher.
Carolyn Walker, Carolyn’s Art, Lancaster – Bringing art to care homes, for fun, creativity, therapy and great social interaction.
Apprentice of the Year - Sponsored by Lancaster and Morecambe College
Rustom English, Net* Development Ltd, Kendal – Soaks up information and knowledge, hugely willing to learn, kind, well-mannered and funny too.
Emma Lund, Design, Photography and Print, Lancaster University – Does things right first time with great attention to detail; perfect skills for a career in the print industry.
Dan Rutherford, Logs Direct, Lancaster – On target to finish his course early, with a superb attitude to work, a fabulous example.
Best Community Focus/Social Action - Sponsored by Holdens Solicitors
CAMP Cumbria, Coniston – A not-for-profit summer day camp giving children great new experiences
Northwest Ambulance Service Community First Responders – Volunteers saving lives by being first on the scene
Sustainability Morecambe – A community co-operative and food club saving food from landfill