The winners of local MP Robbie Moore’s Small Business Awards have been revealed after more than 4,000 votes were cast for over 200 small businesses across Keighley, Ilkley, Craven and the Worth Valley.
Azeem’s Restaurant in Keighley took the overall crown following the public vote, with Mr Moore visiting the restaurant to present them with the award of Overall Best Small Business in Keighley and Ilkley.
A spokesman from Azeem’s restaurant said that they were “honoured” to be voted the winner of Mr Moore’s Awards by the public, and thanked Azeem’s “valued customers for their support”.
Also announced were the local area winners, with Crumbs Café in Silsden taking the top spot in Silsden and Steeton area, ForTeas Tea Room in Haworth winning the Worth Valley prize, performing arts organisation BOLT Academy taking the Keighley and wider area award, and Nursery Rhymes Nursery and Jabberwocky Club in Addingham coming top in the Ilkley and Addingham area.
Mr Moore congratulated overall winner Azeem’s and the local area winners on their accolades, urging residents to “shop local” in the run up to Christmas and beyond.
Robbie Moore MP said:
“After hundreds of nominations and thousands of votes, my congratulations go to the amazing Azeem’s restaurant for being voted by residents as Keighley and Ilkley’s 2022 Overall Best Small Business. The area winners were also so very well deserving and I am so very proud of Crumbs Cafe, Bolt Academy, ForTeas Team Room and Nursery Rhymes Nursery & Jabberwocky Club as taking the top spots at the more local level.
It was an honour to present these fantastic local businesses with their awards, and it just goes to show how much their customers and clients value their service. I thank each and every small business and resident that took part this year. The support shown for small businesses across our area has been absolutely incredible.
As we go into 2023, it is so important that we recognise our small independent businesses for who they really are – the backbone of our community, and I urge everyone to continue to shop local!”
Azeem’s Restaurant, Keighley and Ilkley Overall Winner said: "It was an honour to be voted Keighley & Ilkley’s Best Small Business by the public. We are proud to win this award and extremely grateful to our valued customers for their support. Azeem's thanks Robbie Moore for his support as our MP and for promoting local restaurants like ours in Keighley."
BOLT Academy, Keighley and wider area Award winners said: “We are so proud of the whole of the BOLT team! We couldn’t do with without our amazingly talented students, our professional team of dedicated staff and of course our ultra-supportive network of parents. Teamwork makes the dream work!”
Crumbs, Steeton and Silsden Award winners said: “Crumbs are extremely proud to have been voted Steeton and Silsden’s Best Small Business by the public and we thank everyone who voted for us. We started our business six years ago and have faced a number of obstacles along the way, so it has been fantastic to get this recognition and be awarded Best Small Business in our area!”
ForTeas Tea Room, Worth Valley Award winners said: "Thank you everybody who has nominated ForTeas - We are absolutely made up. Thank you again everyone and a massive thank you to Robbie Moore MP. This award means everything to us and more."
Nursery Rhymes and Jabberwocky Club, Ilkley and Addingham Award winners said: “We are so proud of our team who work so incredibly hard to provide our families with the best care and education for their children's first years through to secondary school. As a team we pride ourselves on having a wealth of experience within the nursery. Collectively our practitioners have over 120 years of early years experience between them.
Here at Nursery Rhymes and Jabberwocky Club we feel that we as a team have achieved so much over the past few years and we are so happy that our parents and families have shared this with us by voting for us to win this award.”
