Local Business Accelerators Shortlists Revealed

Local media titles across the UK have revealed their shortlisted businesses for the Local Business Accelerators campaign.    

Fledgling businesses to make the grade come from a diverse range of sectors and include innovative online companies, media and technology firms, law firms, and businesses from the leisure retail sector. 

Announced this week, the Western Mail’s shortlist includes a secure online portal through which youngsters can use social networks securely, a debt recovery service, and a giant bubble making company. 

The Daily Post whittled down dozens of entries for its shortlist which includes a chilli-growing business, a contemporary furniture design company and a meals on wheels service. 

In York, The Press is to hold a pitching competition for the shortlisted businesses after which three winners will be announced. Its shortlist includes a local business which imports speciality teas from China, a day nursery, and an online law firm. 

The Manchester Evening News is another title to invite pitches from shortlisted businesses which include a delivery firm, clothes retailer, recruitment business and online shop, while the Fenland Citizen’s shortlist features businesses such as a florist, a nursery and a reptile shop.   

The Eastern Daily Press’ s shortlist contains companies from different sectors - construction, music tuition, and hospitality – while sister title East Anglian Daily Times's shortlist features a smokehouse,  a private dentist and an outdoor media company.

The competition has thrown the spotlight on a number of unusual businesses such as a firm that makes  chocolate business cards which made the Sunderland Echo’s LBA shortlist.

Echo editor Rob Lawson said: “We have been delighted with the response locally to the Local Business Accelerators competition.

 “Times are tough but there are some exciting success stories out there and we are delighted to have the chance to help.”

Judging panels will now select the winners to be announced on 11 January. They will scoop the LBA prize of free advertising in their local paper, business mentoring, and a chance to win a year’s mentoring from the campaign’s national ambassador Deborah Meaden of the Dragons’ Den.

The campaign attracted the support of a number high-profile figures such as David Cameron and the CBI’s John Cridland and more than 3,000 businesses applied to their local paper for a place on the scheme.

A stone mason, wine company and recruitment consultancy made The News’ shortlist while The Argus in Brighton’s shortlisted firms include a PR firm and a film school.

Editor of The Journal Brian Aitken said the paper’s shortlist, which features a sign manufacturer, coach tours company, property development firm and a business which has designed and patented a machine for weighing luggage prior to check-in at airports, reflected the diverse nature of businesses across the North East.

“These companies are all very different but they each have impressed the judges with what they have achieved in such a short time and with their ambitions for future growth,” Brian said.

“We are delighted to be running this competition which gives the chance for three of these companies to win invaluable support both in terms of free advertising and also expert business mentoring from three of the North East’s most successful business leaders.”

In a piece on the paper’s shortlist announcement yesterday (Wednesday) Evening Telegraph acting editor Neil Pickford said of the campaign: “This is a fantastic opportunity for local firms and we are delighted that so many have chosen to enter this contest.

“The variety and standard of the entries has been extremely high.”

Featuring businesses such as vintage clothing retailer, a brewery, and a home improvement outfit,  the Glasgow Evening Times’ shortlist was drawn up by a judging panel of city entrpreneurs including Michelle Mone OBE. The Melton Times shortlist includes a local architect who has recently been appointed to turn a local pub into almshouses.