Red Rose Awards returns for 15th anniversary extravaganza

The Red Rose Awards - Lancashire’s best-loved celebration of business excellence - is to return for a 15th consecutive year, and nominations are now open.

The awards programme will culminate in a ceremony at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on 13 March 2025.

The event draws in more than 1,000 representatives from across Lancashire’s business community each year who celebrate while enjoying food, drink and entertainment sourced from around the county.

15 years of Red Rose Awards
The Red Rose Awards first launched in 2011 and Blackpool’s iconic Winter Gardens has hosted the awards every year.

Today, it is the biggest regional awards event in the country, and is a winner of the Professional Publishers Association’s Event of the Year award.

Hundreds of Lancashire businesses nominate themselves each year and the programme is underpinned by a comprehensive and transparent judging process - staffed exclusively by independent judges from across the business world.

The programme has continued to evolve over the last decade and a half, and has grown to include support for those preparing to pitch to the judging panel provided by Sales Geek, networking opportunities for finalists, and an exclusive peer network and support programme for the winners hosted by Community and Business Partners.

This year’s awards

The Red Rose Awards have returned once again to celebrate excellence in Lancashire while providing a platform for successful businesses to broadcast their successes across the county and beyond.

Awards will be handed out across a range of categories. Some are industry-specific, and include a new award for this year: Transport and Logistics. Others represent particular achievements, such as community involvement, sustainability and customer service.

To ensure there’s a category for every Lancashire business, the best micro, small, medium and large businesses, as well as new-starts and high-growth enterprises will be honoured.

Nominations for this year’s Red Rose Awards open on 9 September and close on 13 December. Shortlisted companies will then have their chance to put their case before an independent panel of judges, taking place at Burnley FC’s Turf Moor on 5 and 6 February 2025. The awards ceremony takes place on 13 March.

Forbes Solicitors, headline sponsor for every Red Rose Awards programme so far, returns alongside Barclays, headline sponsor for more than a decade.

They will be joined by validation partner RSM plus sponsors +24, Bigtank, Brysdales, Burnley FC, Campbell & Rowley, Chorley Council, Community Foundation for Lancashire, Cube HR, Cube Thinking, Farleys, Harrison Drury, Marketing Lancashire, Mytton Fold Hotel, Napthens, Nybble.co.uk, PDS Engineering, Peter Scott Printers, Pierce, PM+M, Porsche Centre Preston, The Fun Experts, Trident Utilities, University of Central Lancashire and Winter Gardens Blackpool.

 Stephen Bolton, managing director of Lancashire Business View which organises the awards, said:

“The Red Rose Awards are always a giant celebration but with this being a milestone year we’re planning something even more special.

“As well as honouring the best, most innovative, most inspiring businesses of the moment, we’ll also be reflecting on the legacy of the Red Rose Awards. Because this isn’t just about one fun-filled night. Through our networking events, our nominee workshops, winners-only peer-to-peer support, it’s about making new connections, championing the Lancashire business community and fueling future success.”

Pauline Wild, managing partner and Forbes Solicitors said: "We're thrilled to renew our sponsorship of the Red Rose Awards for the 15th consecutive year.

“As a firm deeply rooted in Lancashire, we've witnessed firsthand the incredible talent and innovation of our local businesses.
“The Red Rose Awards provide a unique platform to recognise and celebrate these achievements. We're excited to continue our involvement, discover new inspiring stories, and foster a thriving business community in Lancashire."

Greg Doran, head of Lancashire and Cumbria at Barclays, said: “We are delighted to continue our support of the Red Rose Awards, as headline partner, on its 15th year anniversary.

“The awards showcase the best of Lancashire business and are an excellent opportunity for businesses in the area to shout about their success.

“We are proud to play our part in promoting the region through this process and we encourage all businesses in Lancashire to enter - we can’t wait to hear your story and meet the best Lancashire businesses at judging and on the awards night itself!”

Lancashire businesses can now enter up to three categories at www.redroseawards.co.uk