Focus on Lewisham RECORD-BREAKING AWARDS highlight value of Lewisham’s businesses within local community

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Lewisham Council’s Mayor of Lewisham Business Awards are an annual chance to recognise the hard work, creativity and resilience of Lewisham’s business community. Lewisham is home to a vibrant mix of independent businesses that help drive growth and create opportunities for local communities. These awards celebrate their incredible impact.

With over 2,200 residents engaged in the nominations period earlier this year (nearly double the previous year’s total) and almost 7,000 votes already cast for this year’s finalists, it’s clear that residents and businesses alike are invested in the success of their local business community.

This year, there are ten exciting award categories:

• best sustainable business

• best online business

• best new business

• best in creative sector

• best high street business

• best café

• best restaurant

• best bar, pub or night time economy business

• best independent business

• best market

The awards strengthen Lewisham’s sense of pride and community. As Mayor Brenda Dacres put it, “Our local businesses are the heart of Lewisham. The Mayor’s Business Awards are our way of saying thank you (and to) shine a light on the people who make this borough thrive”.

Councillor Ese Erheriene, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Business, Jobs and Skills, recognises that Lewisham’s independent businesses are “driving local economic growth and creating opportunities for our communities”. By celebrating these achievements, the awards encourage investment, innovation and collaboration across sectors.

Part of this collaboration is through sponsorship opportunities, where businesses align their brand with this celebration of local excellence, gaining exposure through banners, digital screens, printed materials and hosting opportunities. This not only supports the awards financially but strengthens the mutual support that runs through Lewisham’s business community.

The ceremony itself, held in November at Catford’s iconic Broadway Theatre, is a high-profile event that brings together entrepreneurs, sponsors, council leaders and community members. It’s a chance to network, share ideas and build partnerships. Last year’s event drew over 300 attendees, and this year’s promises to be even bigger.

But the impact goes far beyond the ceremony. The awards help raise the profile of local businesses, giving them exposure across council channels, social media, and local press. Shortlisted businesses receive marketing toolkits, posters, postcards and digital assets to help promote their nomination, boosting their online and offline visibility and customer engagement. This kind of recognition can be a game-changer for small businesses trying to stand out in a competitive market.

Over the last two years, past Mayor of Lewisham Business Award winners have been featured as faces of the Council’s flagship ‘shop local’ campaign, Discover Lewisham. Originally launched in 2022 to promote the borough as an events destination during the London Borough of Culture programme, Discover Lewisham has since evolved into a wide-reaching initiative that champions local businesses, visitor attractions and events. The campaign has achieved significant visibility, with over 40 billboard sites this year alone, including a major site in Waterloo with an average daily footfall of around 650,000 people, and press in neighbouring boroughs. Online, the business spotlight feature films accumulated over 40,000 views and a swell of positive local engagement.

So, the Mayor of Lewisham Business Awards are far more than a pat on the back, they are a platform and opportunity to help businesses grow, connect and thrive, while reinforcing Lewisham’s reputation as an exciting, impressive and entrepreneurial borough, with a lot to offer.