Celebration of city's iconic Independent Businesses

Nottingham’s unique mix of independent businesses will be once again showcased and celebrated during the It’s In Nottingham Independents campaign, this year taking place from 1st June 2018 to 4th July with various activities and events taking place across the city centre.
 

Constructed to help people discover and support the great range of independent outlets that the city has to offer, once again, this year’s campaign will kick off with a competition to find Nottingham’s Independent Business of the Year, during which the public can nominate their favourite in seven categories – Attractions & Things to Do, Cafes & Coffee Shops, Giftware & Homeware Shops, Health, Hair & Beauty, Pubs, Bars, Clubs & Music Venues, Restaurants, and Misc Retail.

People can make their nominations in a variety of ways, either by picking up a voting card in one of the independent businesses, online at the It's In Nottingham website or by emailing info@nottinghambid.com. The closing date for nominations is 4.30pm on Thursday 21 June 2018.

The five businesses in each category and those with the highest number of nominations will be visited by mystery shoppers who will then report their findings to an expert judging panel. The final awards are Nottingham’s Independent Business of the Year 2018, a highly commended business in each category and a special achievement award. The winning business will be announced on Independence Day - Tuesday 4 July.

Throughout June last year votes were cast by the thousand, but scooping the overall was Friar Lane’s Specialty Coffee Shop. 2016 winner Debbie Bryan was once again a finalist, taking the highly commended award for Eating, Drinking & things to do, while Knit Notts were highly commended in the Shops & Services category.
 

The festivities will culminate on Saturday 30^th June with the Nottingham Independents Festival. Stages will be set up at several indie hubs across the city with free entertainment for people to enjoy throughout the day. Trinity Square will see fun family activities taking place, acoustic sets will resound on Pelham Street, Middle Pavement will be a hotspot for world music, and Hockley’s Carlton Square will be taken over with a carnival theme and circus skills.

Elsewhere in the city fringe events will be taking place, with street parties in some of the city’s most popular independent shopping destinations, including St James’s Street, Flying Horse Walk and Cobden Chambers.

Geoff Williams, director of the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID), the organisation behind the It’s in Nottingham brand, said: “We will be highlighting and celebrating the city’s iconic range of independent businesses. Nottingham is well known for its independent offering and this gives local people and visitors an experience they wouldn’t get in other cities.”

For more information, look out for the independents festival guide that will be distributed around the city from mid-June, or head online to www.itsinnottingham.com/independents.