TWO successful rural businesses have been named finalists in the South West in the 2019 Countryside Alliance Awards - also known as the Rural Oscars.

The Allington Farm Shop, near Chippenham, is in the short list of five for the food and drink category, and Toby Haynes Butcher, based in High Street, Corsham, is in the final five for the best butcher category.

Naomi Reynolds, manager of the Allington Farm Shop, said: "It's very exciting news!"

The farm shop started in the early 1980s, and expanded with a big extension to the front of the shop and a new cafe in 2008.

"People are very interested in where their food comes from. A lot of our meat is produced on the farm, and much of the food comes from us, and the local area."

For Toby Haynes, customer service and accountable food sourcing are the keys to his success.

"Our customer service is paramount," he said. "A lot of our produce comes from local farmers, so we have a knowledge of the products, and we go the extra mile in terms of service."

He took over the shop three years ago as a going concern but turned around a business that was not doing well into a busy enterprise with two full time butchers, and a team of assistants.

The awards are the Countryside Alliance’s annual celebration of rural produce, skills, enterprise and heritage through small hard-working businesses. Now in their fourteenth year, the awards have become an important rural business award to win, attracting more than 17,000 nominations this year.

The contenders are nominated by members of the public, with five categories, which also include village shop / post office, best rural enterprise, and best pub.

Countryside Alliance Awards director Sarah Lee said: “We received a record breaking 17,000 nominations this year showing just how much the public values and supports our hard-working rural businesses. All of the finalists should be really proud to have got this far as it shows just how valued they are in their rural communities. The Countryside Alliance is honoured to offer a voice to rural business in this way and recognise all the hard work that is done. I look forward to getting out and visiting these fantastic businesses as judging gets underway.”

Judges will visit each of the short-listed businesses, with regional champions announced in May. The winners for the South West will then proceed to the Grand Final, in Parliament in June 2019.