See this year’s categories and past Winners below…
Companies, partnerships and organisations may enter multiple categories.
Please see our Top Tips on writing a winning nomination.
Bear in mind that our judges are guided to assess nominations on these lines:
- Clear evidence of business/organisation excellence in the period 50%
- Clear evidence of long-term excellence 15%
- Civic/ESG/values 15%
- Quality of Nomination 15%
- Testimonials 5%
Platinum Award
The Platinum Award is given to the crème de la crème, stand-out best category winner on the night chosen by our judges. They’ll be looking for a company that has had demonstrated a stellar year with serious impact on the city. That could be through recruitment, awareness raising activity, contribution to local causes and the community or the economy.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Wake The Tiger
2022 Winner: Huboo Technologies
2021 Winner: Breaking Bread
2020 Winner: LettUs Grow
2019 Winner: Bristol Old Vic
2018 Winner: The Downs Festival
2017 Winner: Bristol Energy
Arts & Creative
From PR agencies and designers, to galleries and festivals, this category seeks to recognise what makes Bristol unique, benefitting residents and attracting visitors. Tell us what makes your organisation stand out, showcase and share the creativity of the city.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Upfest
2022 Winner (Arts): Vanguard
2022 Winner (Creative): Studio Giggle
2021 Winner (Arts): Trinity Community Arts
2021 Winner (Creative): Studio Giggle
2020 Winner (Arts): Early Day Films
2020 Winner (Creative): Istoria Group
2019 Winner (Arts): Bristol Old Vic
2019 Winner (Creative): Ignition
2018 Winner (Arts): Spike Island
2018 Winner (Creative): Window Wanderland
2017 Winner (Arts): Brave Bold Drama
2017 Winner (Creative): Milliner’s Guild
Bar
From the Big Night Out to a drink after work, bars are an important part of this city. We welcome nominations for this category from cocktail bars, wine bars, craft beer venues and pubs.
Share with the judges what has made the past year successful for your venue, what new initiatives have worked well, how you attract repeat custom from locals and give a memorable experience to visitors.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Harbour House
2022 Winner: Kask Wine Bar
2021 Winner: The Coconut Tree
2020 Winner: The Strawberry Thief
2019 Winner: Greenbank
2018 Winner: The Strawberry Thief
2017 Winner: The Old Bookshop
Business Services
The Business Services category is for all companies with a specific B2B offering, selling your goods or services to other businesses. This could be technical support, people-based, catering, a particular item or product-based service. (Please note: there is a separate category for Legal and Financial companies.)
Judges will be looking for demonstrations of the efficiency and effectiveness, repeat business and recommendations, growth and/or positive results in the past year and what makes your service a cut above the rest.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Cosgrove & Drew
2022 Winner: Ghyston
2021 Winner: CMC Marquees
2020 Winner: Loom Digital
2019 Winner: ETM Recycling
2018 Winner: Bottle Yard Studios
2017 Winner: Kinneir Dufort
Charity
The Charity category is open to all local independent registered charities. Nominate your organisation to showcase your cause and the great contribution it makes locally.
The Judges will not be judging based on the value or personal attachment to a particular cause, but how well the charity serves it. Share fundraising success, what this has meant to your charity and how you have delivered this in the past year.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Empire Fighting Chance
2022 Winner: Children’s Hospice South West
2021 Joint Winners: Bristol Rovers Community Trust and Caring in Bristol
2020 Winner: FareShare South West
2019 Winner: The Grand Appeal & One25
2018 Winner: Bristol Rovers Community Trust
2017 Winner: Empire Fighting Chance
Civic
The Civic Award highlights the contribution of an organisation or company which has improved Bristol this year. Some new initiative which makes our city better or commitment to helping develop others, or notable charitable work. This is open to ANY company in Bristol.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: OurCity2030 by Babbasa and the One City Office
2022 Winner: Bristol Books
2021 Winner: Out of Hand
2020 Winner: City to Sea
2019 Winner: The Bristol Wing (YMCA)
Employer
This Award recognises the best employers in the city – tell us about your staff retention, incentives, development and anything else that makes your company the best in Bristol when it comes to employment.
Sponsored by:
Event
From festivals, to community, to sporting, to corporate and all in between, events make a huge impact on the culture of a city – share your event successes and you could win this category. This can be an individual event or a series and the judges are looking for overall impact on attendees, success of the past event and measure of this as well as how well executed it was.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Joint Winners: Bristol Pride and Propyard
2022 Winner: Valley Fest
2021 Winner: Bristol Pride
2020 Winner: Bristol Pride
2019 Winner: St Pauls Carnival
2018 Winner: The Downs Festival
2017 Winner: Upfest
Financial
This category is looking for all accountants, banks, financial advisors, insurance experts and more. This category is open to all financial companies in the area, supplying financial services to a broad client base of both businesses or consumers.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Moneyhub
2022 Winner: Hargreaves Lansdown
2021 Winner: Fox Davidson
2020 Winner: Bristol Credit Union
2019 Winner: Parmenion Capital Partners LLP
2018 Winner: Key Solutions
2017 Winner: Forrest Brown
Hair & Beauty
The Hair & Beauty category is open to all beauty and hair salons in the area. Tell us about your great successes and client feedback, and you could be an Award winner! For your entry share how your business has thrived in the past year, how you have attracted new clients and retained existing ones – what makes them come back? What makes your offering stand out and why has it worked?
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Nuala Morey Salon
2022 Winner: Nuala Morey Salon
2021 Winner: Beauty Oasis Spa
2020 Winner: Bloggs Salons
2019 Winner: Nuala Morey Salon
2018 Winner: Hair At 58
2017 Winner: Hobbs
Health & Wellbeing
This category is for any organisation which helps the community improve its health and wellbeing. This could be anything from nutrition, fitness classes or groups, healthcare, dentists, opticians, doctors, surgeries, health clubs and more! Share your results and successes by nominating in this category.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Active Teams
2022 Winner: First Aid Bristol
2021 Joint Winners: Great Weston Ride and Talk Club
2020 Winner: Access Sport
2019 Winner: Empire Fighting Chance
2018 Winner: Great Weston Ride
2017 Winner: Bristol Nordic Walking
Homes & Interiors
The Home & Interiors category is for any business that designs, decorates, furnishes or refurbishes a commercial or private property. Stand-out year, with significant, successful projects..? You could soon be furnished with one of our splendid Awards!
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Chaunceys Timber Flooring
2022 Winner: Hannah Redden Interiors
2021 Winner: Konk Furniture
2020 Winner: Stylemongers Of Bristol
2019 Winner: Blossom & Brush
2018 Winner: Bristol Upholstery Collective
2017 Winner: Sustainable Kitchens
Legal
Calling all solicitors, lawyers, legal experts, law firms and more. This category is open to all legal or companies in the city, whether it’s supplying services to businesses or consumers.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Bevan Brittan
2022 Winner: Bevan Brittan
2021 Winner: Bevan Brittan
2020 Winner: Gregg Latchams
2019 Winner: Barcan + Kirby
2018 Winner: VWV
2017 Winner: VWV
Leisure & Tourism
This category is all about enjoyment in the city: venues, accommodation, activities or visitor attractions, whether for tourists, residents or both. The Judges will discuss: How does your offering make Bristol better? How have your visitor statistics improved in the past year? Did visitors have a great time and can you share their feedback?
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Wake The Tiger
2022 Winner: Ocean Adventurers
2021 Winner: Breaking Bread
2020 Winner: Quirky Campers
2019 Winner: Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust
2018 Winner: Aerospace
2017 Winner: Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
New Business
The New Business category is for absolutely any business which has started in the city after 1 July 2022. Nominate your new business, celebrate your success, raise your profile – and you could win an Award!
The Judges are looking for a business that’s a potential star of tomorrow, what gap in the market does it fill? How have customers responded? What positive indicators have there been in the past 12 months?
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: The Forge & Fern
2022 Winner: LOKI POKÉ
2021 Winner: Feel Fit
2020 Winner: Oceans Adventurers
2019 Winner: The Coconut Tree
2018 Winner: Mobius Works
2017 Winner: Bristol Energy
People Services
Are people your specialism? Whether recruitment, human resources, developing talent or coaching, if you know what makes people tick and know how to help companies get the very best out of their most important assets, then this is the category for you.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Baltimore Consulting
2022 Winner: Baltimore Consulting
2021 Winner: NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator
2020 Winner: NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator
Property
If you’re making a big difference to the property sector locally, this one’s for you. From estate agents and letting agents to developers, architects, construction/building companies and surveyors, tell our judges about your success in shaping Bristols thriving built environment and how we use it.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: JAS Building Services
2022 Winner: JAS Building Services
2021 Winner: Wapping Wharf Phase 2, delivered by Umberslade and Muse Developments
2020 Winner: Sweet Construct
2019 Winner: Dribuild
2018 Winner: Acorn Property Group
2017 Winner: Wapping Wharf
Restaurant
With so many excellent local eateries to choose from, what makes your restaurant stand out from the crowd? This award is for establishments from casual eateries to fine dining restaurants and anything in between. [Please note: Foodie Pub and Café have their own categories.]
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: The Forge & Fern
2022 Winner: Koocha Mezze Bar
2021 Winner: Pizzarova
2020 Winner: The Malago
2019 Winner: Root
2018 Winner: The Old Market Assembly
2017 Winner: Casamia
Retail
This Award is for both offline and online retailers that are based in the city, If your store has had a great year of trading and customer satisfaction, nominate it for a Bristol Life Award which you could soon have to display in your shop window…
Please note: to qualify as Best Retailer, nominees need to have a physical shop presence in the area, though clearly can cite online sales too.
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Single Variety Co
2022 Winner: NE Appliances
2021 Winner: Boxlocal
2020 Winner: Eclectic Gift Shop
2019 Winner: British Corner Shop
2018 Winner: Papersmiths
2017 Winner: Nicholas Wylde
Sustainability
The Sustainability Award is open to any Bristol company or organisation which has been demonstrably thoughtful in the year about its approach to sustainability – supply chain, transport, products/services, energy: anything. Do you have a new or enhanced initiative? Which practices make your organisation stand out? How have you been changing your business or organisation?
Sponsored by:
Previous Winner
2023 Winner: PEEQUAL
2022 Winner: Sustainable Fashion Week UK
2021 Winner: Ignition DG
Technology
This Award is open to all companies centred on technology: developers, fintech, biotech, healthtech, app builders, product development, online platforms, designers, tech retailers. Digital focus? Nominate!
Sponsored by:
Previous Winners
2023 Winner: Stripe OLT
2022 Winner: Huboo Technologies
2021 Winner: Proctor + Stevenson
2020 Winner: LettUs Grow
2019 Winner: Techmodal
2018 Winner: Unit DX
2017 Winner: Yellow Dog