A LOCAL company is in the running to be named one of the best rural businesses in the UK after being shortlisted for a regional Rural Business Award.

Angrove Country Park from Great Ayton, North Yorkshire has been shortlisted in the Best Rural Diversification Category at the 2019/20 Rural Business Awards, held in partnership with Amazon. The local company will battle it out against fellow rural businesses, entrepreneurs and enterprises from across the region for a place at the national final.

The holiday park is owned and run by Alan Petch, his partner, Louise Taylor, and members of the Petch family who are third generation farmers from Great Ayton. Their ideas for an environmentally friendly park and eatery, saw the planting of thousands of trees, eco-friendly lodges build by local tradespeople, and a G and Tea House, which is completely plastic free.

“We are over the moon to have been shortlisted in this category and to know that what we are trying to achieve at Angrove is receiving such positive feedback. To know that other business people have looked at our work and consider it worthy of being made a finalist is very exciting. All of our team have worked exceptionally hard since the day we first opened so this is a recognition for them too. In the planning stages we were a team of four people and are now a team of thirty-four; all our staff are recruited from the local villages and towns and have been on this journey with us”

Director and Co-Founder of The Rural Business Awards, Anna Price, said: “On behalf of everyone at the Rural Business Awards, we want to say well done to Angrove Country Park, and all the shortlisted businesses, and wish them luck ahead of the regional finals.”

The regional finals are in the North, East, Midlands, South East, South West, Wales and Northern Ireland, throughout October and November 2019, ahead of the National Final next February.