The Vale of Glamorgan Business Awards are returning for their fifth year, marking a significant milestone with the expansion of the awards programme to welcome businesses from Bridgend.
This expansion makes the awards bigger than ever, creating an even larger platform to celebrate the resilience and success of businesses across both counties. It also reflects Bridgend’s thriving and evolving business community, which continues to grow despite the challenges of recent years.
The awards celebrate businesses of all size and sectors, recognising their achievements and the important contribution they make to the local economy.
Businesses from across the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend are now invited to submit their entries and demonstrate the impact they made over the past year.
Liz Brookes, founder of the Vale of Glamorgan Business Awards and Director of Grapevine Event Management, commented:
“With the addition of Bridgend, it means we can recognise even more of the outstanding and dynamic businesses operating across South Wales. It’s an exciting new chapter for the awards, and I can’t wait to read this year’s entries.”
David Stevens, Chair of the judging panel, said:
“I’m delighted to be chairing the judging panel for the 2026 Vale and Bridgend Business Awards, it’s doubly exciting as we are expanding the Awards to include the Bridgend area. With Bridgend’s rich commercial landscape across a number of specialities, including advanced manufacturing, life sciences and retail, the challenge for the judging panel will be harder than ever, especially given the continued rise in recent years in the quality of the Vale’s own participants.”
The Business Awards will feature a range of categories that cover businesses of all sizes in both counties, across a vast array of sectors. Entering the awards is free and businesses can enter up to 2 categories from the 16 available to enter. These are:
1. Creative and Digital Business of the Year
2. Employer of the Year
3. Entrepreneur of the Year
4. Financial and Professional Service Business of the Year
5. Food and Farming Business of the Year
6. Green Business of the Year
7. Innovation & Technology Business of the Year
8. International Business of the Year
9. Manufacturing Business of the Year
10. Micro Business of the Year (less than 10 employees)
11. Retail Business of the Year
12. SME of the Year
13. Start-Up Business of the Year
14. Third Sector Organisation of the Year
15. Tourism and Leisure Business of the Year
16. Young Business Person of the Year
Entries are now open via the awards website www.valeandbridgendbusinessawards.com
The closing date for applications is the 4th September 2026 and the winners will be announced at black-tie ceremony on the 6th November at Off Grid in Bridgend.
Shortlisted finalists will be invited to attend an in-person interview with a panel of judges chaired by David Stevens CBE.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information on becoming a sponsor of the 2026 Vale and Bridgend Business Awards please visit the website for details. https://vogbusinessawards.com/
