THE shortlist for the 2018 Ilkley Business Awards has been announced this week.

A panel of independent judges gathered to pour over the entries to create a shortlist for the third annual awards which will honour excellence in the town.

The shortlist is as follows:

Professional Services Business of the Year: Bringing Sparkle Back; Sarah Siddons Financial Planning; Wintersgill Associates Ltd.

Independent Retailer of the Year: Erica Berry Flowers; Floral Dance Florist; Love Brownies.

Food and Drink Business of the Year: Christchurch Café; Pizza Express Ilkley; The Wheatley Arms.

Health and Beauty Business of the Year: Dillons Premium Fitness Training; Ilkley Beauty Clinic; The Valley Clinic.

Leisure and Tourism Business of the Year: ClipnClimb; Ilkley Cinema Ltd; Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club.

Business Personality of the Year: Liz Blizzard – The Valley Clinic; Sarah Siddons – Sarah Siddons Financial Planning;

Steve Benson – The Wheatley Arms.

Large Business of the Year: Booths; Pizza Express; Virtual College.

Small/Medium Business of the Year: Erica Berry Flowers; Ilkley Cinema; Love Brownies.

New Business of the Year: Alpine Lifestyle Boutique Ltd; Floral Dance; Girl Tribe Gang.

Micro Business of the Year: Dillons Premium Fitness Training; Floral Dance; Helen Taylor Landscape and Garden Design.

Employee of the Year: Katherine Rigby-Jones – Erica Berry Flowers; Lessia Russell – U-Dentistry; Michael Parkinson – Dillons Premium Fitness Training; Sarah Hainsworth - Bistro Saigon.

Apprentice of the Year: Jonathan Firth – TaxAssist Accountants; Martha Holmes – Dans Den at Christchurch; Patrick – Pizza Express Ilkley.

Best Customer Service of the Year: Bistrot Pierre Ilkley; Dillons Premium Fitness Training; The Little Teahouse

The Overall winner will also be announced on the evening. Congratulations to everyone who has made the shortlist!

Emma-Louise of The Clevedon at Ben Rhydding who are headline sponsors said: “Here at The Clevedon at Ben Rhydding we know how important our staff are to the daily running of our business. Without great staff that go above and beyond everyday no business would succeed. From the number of entries we have had for the Ilkley Business Awards 2018 it really shows how appreciated staff are. Well done to everyone and every business that has made it onto the shortlist the big night will be here very soon”.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Kings Hall and Winter Gardens on Friday, March, 2018.

The awards have attracted the attention of many local businesses who have supported the awards by sponsoring categories and contributing to the judging process. These include headline sponsor The Clevedon at Ben Rhydding, the Ilkley Business Forum, The Parish Council, Wheatley Arms, Craven College, Poppy Red, U Dentistry, Box Tree restaurant, Denton Hall, Ilkley BNI, Erica Berry, The Alternative Board, LCF Law, RDC Solicitors, Sarah Siddons Financial Planning, The Gazette and Angus Roberts.

The awards have been driven by Ilkley Business Forum members and supported by the Ilkley Parish Council and were created to celebrate the achievements of businesses in LS29.

Tickets are available www.ilkleybusinessawards.co.uk or join the conversation at #IBA18.