A BROMPTON-BY-SAWDON butchers and a glampsite near Ampleforth are among the North of England winners in the “rural Oscars”.

Glaves Butchers won best butchers and the Hideaway at Baxby Manor won best rural enterprise in the 2017 Countryside Alliance Awards.

Both businesses will now go on to the British finals, to be held at the House of Lords on April 25.

Glaves Butchers was formed in 1973 and now consists of a shop, bakery and abattoir all under one roof.

Produce is sourced-locally from farmers and livestock markets and sold to the public over the shop counter and through catering outlets.

The business has 25 staff - some of whom have come through an apprenticeship scheme - and over the years the shop has been through some hardships, including overcoming a massive fire which nearly closed the business down.

Commenting on the business, the judges said: “Glaves Butchers has a long history and is a unique business that produces everything under one roof. The on-site abattoir allows the team at Glaves to control the entire process from slaughter to being sold over the counter.”

James Glaves said: “We are delighted to be announced as regional finalists in the Countryside Alliance Awards. It is such an honor to be recognised for all the hard work that we do. These awards mean so much to us as it’s such a prestigious award to win and they are driven by nominations from the public. We cannot wait for the final at the House of Lords in April and to meet the other businesses doing so much for their community.”

The rural enterprise award was won by the Hideaway at Baxby Manor in Husthwaite on the edge of the Howardian Hills.

The judges commented: “The Hideaway opened in 2012 as a camping/glamping site as a way to help diversify their small farm businesses. It provides an excellent opportunity for visitors to understand more about the countryside and farming and is driven by an ‘eco-ethos’ to leave virtually no environmental impact.”

The Countryside Alliance Awards awards, nicknamed the “rural Oscars”, are an annual celebration of British food and farming, enterprise and heritage through small businesses.

The awards are now in their 13th year and are set apart from other award schemes because they are driven by public nominations. This year it received more than 11,000 such nominations.

Countryside Alliance Awards director Sarah Lee said: “These awards provide a cause for celebration in a time of great uncertainty in the countryside. Our local produce is second to none and there are many community heroes and businesses worthy of national recognition.”