Burnley Business Awards 2022: Nominations now open as town prepares to celebrate "innovation, ambition and excellence"

The biennial awards, which were last held at Towneley Hall in 2019, are back for 2022 after the decision was taken to skip last year's ceremony as a result of the pandemic.

Businesses in the borough can submit their applications at www.burnley.co.uk/businessawards/, where they will also find out the judging criteria.

The categories for 2022 are:

- Small Business of the Year (up to 19 employees and 20-49 employees)

- Medium Business of the Year (50-250 employees)

- Large Business of the Year (over 250 employees)

- International Trade of the Year

- Manufacturing Excellence

- Innovation

- Environmental Excellence

- Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality

- Employer of the Year

- Young Employee of the Year

Mick Cartledge, chief executive of Burnley Council, said: “We know how much everyone has missed the awards due to COVID, ourselves included.

"We are delighted it is back for 2022. It’s a great way to celebrate our successful businesses and their workforces, and the event is a key diary date in Burnley’s business calendar.”

Burnley Council leader councillor Afrasiab Anwar added: “As always, it’s great to see the innovation, ambition and excellence of our local businesses being rightly recognised and celebrated.

"I’d like to thank all our sponsors for their continued support, without which we wouldn’t be able to honour local entrepreneurship in this way.

“The last two years have been extremely tough for everyone, including local businesses, their staff and their customers.

"These awards recognise the grit and determination companies have had to show to battle through the challenges and, hopefully, start to come out the other side.”

UCLan is once again headline sponsor.

Dean of the Burnley campus Dharma Kovvuri said: "The university is delighted and proud to be the headline sponsor of the Burnley Business Awards. We are very pleased to see the awards return and look forward to recognising the amazing businesses in our borough.

“UCLan is working in partnership with Burnley Council and other key stakeholders to develop an inspirational Canalside Campus as we continue to pursue our long-term ambition to increase student numbers to 6,000 by 2032.

"As part of this, we want to support businesses with high-level skills and innovation through access to our world-class researchers, students and facilities to drive Burnley’s continued economic growth.”

Key dates:

Entries open Thursday, February 3.

Closing date for entries: Midnight, Friday, April 8.

Shortlisting: Wednesday and Thursday, April 27 and 28.

Finalist interviews/presentations: Wednesday and Thursday, May 4 and 5.

Ceremony: Thursday, June 30.