Local Food Britain catches up with Stephanie Drury, South Marketing & Promotions Manager for family-owned media business Archant, publishers of leading titles including Surrey Life and Sussex Life. Stephanie heads up their annual food and drink awards in Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire and tells us they are a launch pad for new and exciting things - but while it's always alright on the night, the glittering ceremonies are not without their occasional behind-the-scenes hiccups.
Archant runs 16 Food and Drink Awards - which ones are you responsible for?
Surrey Life Food and Drink Awards, The Celebration of Sussex Life Awards and the Berkshire & Buckinghamshire Life Food and Drink Awards. I also launched The Essex Life Fine Food and Drink Awards and the Kent and Kent On Sunday Food and Drink Awards - they are now produced by my colleagues - and I looked after The Hampshire Food and Drink Awards for three years.
How many years have they been running?
2016 will be Surrey Life’s fourth Year, Sussex’s third and Berkshire and Buckinghamshire’s second year.
It seems the awards are getting bigger every year and are really respected in the community. Why do you think they have been so successful?
We always felt that there was a gap in the market for these awards. You only have to take one look at Surrey Life magazine over the last 10 years to see that the local food and drink scene is continuously growing, and I don’t think there’s ever really been a more exciting time than now. It seems that the home counties are doing their best to grow out of the shadow cast by London, particularly. We’re so proud to be able to celebrate and support that.
How many votes do you expect to get in this year? The votes increase ever year, we expect them in their thousands this year!
Is winning an award a big deal for a business?
Of course! For instance, we provide all our winners with banners announcing their success, and it has been known for these to be proudly displayed on walls, in front of counters and at the entrances of the winning businesses – even, in one particular scenario, across half of a beautiful character cottage that happened to house one of our champions! That certainly got the village talking! Elsewhere, there’s plenty of radio coverage with our media partners including BBC Surrey, and a number of our winners have gone on to national recognition not long after their awards success.
Have you had feedback from previous winners and nominees?
Yes - and plenty from our readers and social media followers, too. For some finalists it’s been the launch pad into new and exciting things, while for others it’s been a moment in the spotlight that has reignited their hunger for the industry. We always try to tell the stories of all our finalists, both in the magazine and across our digital platforms, and one of the great pleasures of the awards is that they truly celebrate the independents, whether it’s a one person kitchen operation or a thriving and expanding commercial concern.
Although it’s great to win, would you agree that being nominated is also a great honour?
Absolutely. The awards have such a healthy process behind them, with readers, customers and local residents shaping the long list, our experienced independent judging panel whittling down the shortlist, and then our individual judges actually testing each of the chosen finalists. Just to make the final three really is such a huge achievement, and the atmosphere at the awards is always hugely supportive to everyone involved. We know that many lasting connections have been made at these black tie occasions.
What happens when businesses make it to the finals?
While the winners are kept a closely guarded secret until awards night, we send our production team out to all the finalists to create videos showcasing their story. These clips are then shown to the crowd in the lead-up to the big reveal. Sometimes our finalists just bring their partner, sometimes they book out whole tables. The awards are a celebration of the county, and every single finalist in the room is doing their bit to make it a great place to live. We wine, we dine, we celebrate and, this year, we’ll dance the night away.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Contacting the finalists – I have had tears, shouting and all sorts! Last year when I called a company and explained they were finalists they thought it was one of their friends pranking them, so they hung up on me! I emailed them and they called me back and apologised profusely. It’s such a great feeling talking to the finalists and giving them the good news, and their reactions are priceless.
What’s your biggest challenge?
Numbers on the awards evening. Every year we have a waiting list for tickets and every year I increase numbers; I wish I could fit everyone in to the awards ceremony. This year I have gone up again on all of them.
Anything amusing you want to share? One year at one of my awards we were all set up and ready to go for the rehearsal at 4.00pm and a lovely member of staff from the venue offered to help me carry the trophies in. Unfortunately, he dropped one of them and smashed it and it was the biggest award of the evening! He was so horrified and it was a complete accident, but panic set in and I managed to get another trophy biked from the engravers and it arrived three minutes before the presentation of that particular award. The delivery driver ran in to the awards ceremony with his helmet and bike leathers on and scared the life out of everyone! We laugh about it now, but at the time it was the worst thing!
Read more about Archant food and drink awards and find out how to vote (or encourage nominations for your business)
Surrey Life Food and Drink Awards
A Celebration of Sussex Life Awards
Berkshire & Buckinghamshire Life Food and Drink Awards
Tags: Sussex
Surrey
Berkshire
Buckinghamshire
