Merseyside Independent Business Awards 2025

Please read the following before completing your entry:

Eligibility Criteria

Your business must be fully independent, privately owned, and based in the Liverpool City Region, which includes: Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, and Halton.
You must enter the category most relevant to your business type (e.g. retail, culture, creative, trades, etc.).
You may enter as many categories that are relevant to you or your business.
Charities are not eligible to enter.

Entry Requirements

Answer all questions clearly and concisely.
Stay within the word count limits specified for each question.

Judging

Entries will be judged out of 5 points per question based on the clarity and quality of your answers.
All information submitted will be treated in strict confidence and used by the judging panel only.
If you have any questions or queries about the MIB Awards, your eligibility or how to enter, please contact us on mibawards@morecrofts.co.uk.

Deadline

All entries must be submitted by Friday 11th July. Late entries may not be considered.

Trades or Manufacturing Business of the Year - Sponsored By JEC Business Finance

Professional Services Business of the Year - Sponsored By Everton Stadium

Culture & Tourism Business of the Year - Sponsored By Merseyrail

Best Creative Business - Sponsored By Forresters

Children Focussed Business of the Year - Sponsored By ONE Knowsley

Retailer of the Year - Sponsored By The Guide

Best Start Up Business - Sponsored By Bruntwood

CIC Business of the Year - Sponsored By Butterworths Spengler

Food Venue of the Year - Sponsored By Bolland & Lowe

Health and Wellbeing Business of the Year - Sponsored By Titanic Hotel Liverpool

Employer of the Year - Sponsored By Handelsbanken

Digital & technology Business of the Year - Sponsored By DSG

Business Person of the Year - Sponsored By Financial Planning Corporation

Category(Required)

Eligible businesses include: manufacturing, technology, engineering, construction, scaffolding, plumbing, building, roofing, trades, textiles & any ‘makers’.

Eligible businesses include: accountants , independent financial advisors, recruitment businesses, training companies, PR and marketing agencies and any business offering professional services to other businesses (B2B).

Eligible businesses include: theatres, museums, music venues, tour operators, tourism attractions, cultural attractions, independent production companies – any business with a tourism offering.

Eligible businesses include: website creators, film-makers, sound recording, product design, PR companies, marketing agencies, architects, fashion designers, publishers – any business with creativity at its core.

Eligible businesses include: nurseries, childcare services, soft play centre, outdoor attractions, sport clubs, dance and performance schools, retail business, music school and any business which caters mainly to children.

Eligible businesses include: any business with retail as its core operation – both on and off line.

Eligible businesses include: any Merseyside independent business which has been trading for two years or less as of June 01 2025.

Eligible businesses include: Restaurants, eateries, cafes of any sort.

Eligible businesses include: hairdressers, beauty salons, wellbeing businesses, non-invasive cosmetics, spas, businesses offering health-based products and advice.

Eligible businesses include: any independent business employer in Merseyside employing one or more people on a permanent basis.

Eligible businesses include: Internet analytics businesses, web based businesses, app developers, film makers, social media experts, VR businesses, advanced technology businesses, AI businesses, any business with digital and technology at its core.

Eligible businesses include: business owners, founders, entrepreneurs, CEOs, mentors connected to or leading an independent business in Merseyside.

Business Name(Required)

Contact Name(Required)

Job Title(Required)

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)

Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City ZIP / Postal Code

Number of Employees

Social Media Handles

Business Website Address(Required)

Business Type(Required)

Sole Trader

Partnership

Limited Liability Company (LTD)

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

Community Interest Company (CIC)

Other

Company Registration Number

Any links to relevant review platforms (e.g. trip advisor, Checkatrade, Trustpilot, Feefo)

Tell us about your business and what services / products you offer. (100 words max)(Required)

What inspired to set up you CIC and local issues or needs were you aiming to address?(Required)

What distinguishes you from other similar organisations in your field? (200 words max)(Required)

What are your key measures of sustainability or growth over the last 12 months? (200 words max)(Required)

Do you have any initiatives or policies which support communities, charities or environmental causes? (200 words max)(Required)

What are your aspirations for the future, both short-term and in five year's time? (200 words max)(Required)

What do your clients say about you? How has your service helped their business to maintain and/or grow? (200 words max)(Required)

How has your business given satisfaction to its visitors in the past year? What do your visitors say about you? (200 words max)(Required)

How does your business provide an exciting and developmental experience for children? (200 words max)(Required)

How do you stand out in your dedication to customer experience? (200 words max)(Required)

What attracts your regular customers and draws in new visitors? (200 words max)(Required)

Tell us about the specific impact on you customer's physical and mental wellbeing. (200 words max)(Required)

Tell us about your business and what services / products you offer. (100 words max)(Required)

Do you have a specific recruitment and staff retention policy? What draws people to you and makes them want to stay? (100 words max)(Required)

What do your employees say about you? (200 words max)(Required)

How have you invested in your staff and developed careers? (200 words max)(Required)

Please outline your professional background and current business interests(Required)

In what ways have those business interests proven successful?(Required)

As well as business, what other roles / non exec roles do you hold? (200 words max)(Required)

What would you identify as your greatest impact on the business community? (200 words max)(Required)

How do you measure your success and social impact?(Required)

What are your future plans – how do you intend to grow or develop what you do?(Required)