25 June 2018
Launch of the 2018 Great British High Street (GBHS) Awards
These awards recognise and celebrate the local achievements of high streets across the UK, supporting the communities they serve and offering a chance to win up to £10,000 for local area improvements.
Communities across the UK are being urged to back their local high streets by entering them into the Great British High Street (GBHS) Awards, which are now open for 2018. The competition celebrates the work being done to revive, adapt and diversify the nation’s high streets and is an opportunity for councils, businesses and local groups to come together and share knowledge and expertise.
Winners will receive a share of £25,000, coupled with dedicated support and mentoring from industry experts. High streets are eligible to win up to £10,000 for their local community, plus the opportunity for their local businesses and consumers to participate in a Visa GBHS Spend & Win Competition, which rewards the people that ‘make high streets special’.
Winners will be named in each of the four UK nations – England, Scotland, Wales and, for the first time, Northern Ireland – across two categories: Champion High Street and Rising Star High Street. The Champion High Street category will recognise the nation’s best high streets whilst the Rising Star High Street category will recognise the most ambitious high streets, which are taking the lead and working together to revive, adapt and diversify.
An overall High Street of the Year in Great Britain and Northern Ireland will also be named.
To enter a high street, applicants will need to be a representative of a Business Improvement District, local authority, parish council, town team, coastal community team, town centre partnership, community interest company, Chambers of Commerce or trading association.
Shortlisted finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony in London in November celebrating the high streets that are succeeding and influencing change.
Launching the 2018 campaign, High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP said:
“The Great British High Streets competition this year will celebrate the creativity of the many businesses in the UK which are providing the shops and services so vital to our economy.
“The previous awards were hugely successful, proving the Great British public really cares about the centres of their cities, towns and villages. I’d urge everyone to get involved in this important competition.”
The deadline for applications to be received is 22 August 2018.