Fat Badger Group Wins Judges’ Choice Award at the Harrogate Business Awards 2026

Fat Badger Group is delighted to have won the Judges’ Choice Award at the Harrogate Business Awards 2026, recognising the group as the standout business entry of the evening. The award celebrates a fantastic year of growth, investment, innovation and community engagement, with Harrogate continuing to play a central role in our success.

Held on Thursday 24th September at the DoubleTree by Hilton Majestic Hotel & Spa in Harrogate, the annual awards brought together businesses, entrepreneurs and community leaders to celebrate the achievements of the local business community.

Now in its 21st year, the Harrogate Business Awards recognise excellence across a diverse range of industries, from hospitality and tourism to technology, retail, sustainability and community initiatives. For Fat Badger Group, it was a particularly memorable evening, not only to celebrate our own achievement but also to recognise the many outstanding businesses helping Harrogate and the surrounding district thrive.

Fat Badger Group takes home the Judges’ Choice Award

The Judges’ Choice Award is a particularly special accolade, recognising the overall standout business entry from the evening’s shortlisted businesses across multiple categories.

For Fat Badger Group, winning this award reflects our commitment to building a successful hospitality business while making a positive contribution to Harrogate and the wider Yorkshire region.

Although our distinctive venues span Harrogate, York, Whitby and Kirkby Fleetham, Harrogate remains the heart of our business. It is where our leadership, marketing, innovation and strategic direction are driven, providing the foundations for investment and growth across the group.

Over the past 12 months, Fat Badger Group has achieved 15% revenue growth, with average occupancy reaching 80%. These results reflect continued investment in our properties, strong customer loyalty and the success of our Harrogate-led strategy.

Our focus extends beyond commercial performance. We are passionate about creating memorable guest experiences, investing in our people, embracing new technology and supporting the communities in which we operate.

We are incredibly proud to have received this recognition and grateful to our dedicated teams, loyal guests and local partners who make our continued success possible.

Why Fat Badger Group stood out

Our award entry highlighted the combination of commercial growth, ambitious investment, hospitality excellence, digital innovation and community engagement that defines Fat Badger Group.

Continued investment across Yorkshire

We have continued to invest confidently in Yorkshire hospitality, strengthening our presence across the region while building on the success of our Harrogate operation.

At the coast, the £10 million-plus redevelopment of the Royal Hotel Whitby continues to strengthen our offering, bringing the Fat Badger brand to one of Yorkshire’s best-known seaside destinations alongside a thriving programme of entertainment and events.

In York, investment at the historic Guy Fawkes Inn has enhanced the accommodation and food and beverage offering, including additional bedrooms and a landscaped beer garden beneath York Minster. Meanwhile, plans continue to progress for a carefully considered lodge development at the Black Horse Inn in Kirkby Fleetham.

These projects demonstrate our commitment to preserving distinctive properties, enhancing guest experiences and supporting the long-term appeal of Yorkshire as a destination.

Award-winning hospitality and guest experiences

At the heart of Fat Badger Group is a simple ambition: to offer excellent food, warm Yorkshire hospitality and memorable experiences that keep guests coming back.

Our Harrogate venues, including The Fat Badger and The Pickled Sprout, continue to showcase the town’s hospitality offering through AA Rosette dining, carefully considered menus and a lively programme of events.

We also continue to embrace technology to make the guest journey smoother. AI-powered booking systems, customer relationship management tools and integrated loyalty functionality are helping us improve convenience, encourage repeat visits and deliver more personalised experiences.

Bringing Harrogate together through events

Community and connection are central to our approach, and our events play an important role in bringing people together.

Our monthly Beer Club attracts more than 200 guests on traditionally quieter Tuesday evenings, pairing carefully selected beers with food from our kitchen team at The Pickled Sprout. Working with breweries including Timothy Taylor’s, Ossett Brewery and Kirkstall Brewery, Beer Club has become an established part of Harrogate’s hospitality calendar.

We were also proud to bring Harrogate Concours back to The Yorkshire Hotel in 2026, transforming the hotel frontage into a spectacular automotive showcase. The event attracted thousands of visitors into the town centre, supported local businesses and raised funds for Martin House Children’s Hospice.

From regular events to larger-scale occasions, we believe hospitality can play an important role in supporting the local visitor economy and creating experiences that people remember.

Making a difference in our community

Our commitment to Harrogate extends well beyond our venues.

During the past year, we have continued to support local charities and organisations through fundraising events, partnerships and community initiatives. Our Charity Golf Day raised more than £12,000 for St Michael’s Hospice and Candlelighters, alongside further support through charity dinners, our Charity Shoot Day and other fundraising activities.

We are also proud to support Harrogate’s cultural scene through our partnerships with Harrogate International Festivals and Harrogate Theatre.

Initiatives such as Merry Christmas Harrogate, the town’s dedicated Christmas song launched by the group, have brought local businesses together while raising awareness of organisations including Harrogate Homeless Project, Horticap, Henshaws and Harrogate Neighbours.

For us, being a successful business also means helping the places we call home to flourish.

Investing in our people

None of this would be possible without our teams. We continue to invest in training, career development, mentoring and wellbeing, creating opportunities for colleagues to progress within the business.

Many of our senior managers have developed their careers within Fat Badger Group, reflecting our belief in promoting from within and giving people the skills and support they need to succeed.

Ultimately, it is our people who bring our venues to life and deliver the warm, individual hospitality that defines the Fat Badger experience.

We believe the combination of these achievements — from sustained growth and regional investment to innovation, exceptional hospitality and meaningful community involvement — demonstrates what makes Fat Badger Group stand out.

Congratulations to all the Harrogate Business Awards 2026 winners

The Judges’ Choice Award was one of many highlights of an evening celebrating the remarkable talent, ambition and enterprise found throughout Harrogate and the surrounding district.

We would like to congratulate all the businesses and individuals recognised at this year’s awards.

Retail or Leisure Business of the Year: Fodder – The Great Yorkshire Food Hall

Sustainability Award: Clearpoint Recycling Limited

Event of the Year: Countryside Days

Rural Business of the Year: Stump Cross Caverns

Business in the Community Award: Full Circle Funerals

Best Independent Business of the Year: The Yorkshire Hearing Clinic

Best SME Company: IDR Law

Tourism Award: Ripon Museum Trust

Technology & Digital Award: Reel Film Media

Hospitality Business of the Year: Starling, Harrogate

Best Restaurant Award – Public Vote: Orchid Restaurant

Business Leader/Entrepreneur of the Year: Michelle Hayes, Resurrected Bites

Judges’ Choice Award: Fat Badger Group

Outstanding Contribution Award: Harrogate International Festivals

Congratulations also to the highly commended businesses recognised on the evening: Right at Home Harrogate in Best SME Company, Turkish Baths Harrogate in Tourism, and Nuumad in Technology & Digital.

We were particularly pleased to sponsor the Rural Business of the Year category, won by Stump Cross Caverns. Their success is a wonderful example of the variety and strength of businesses contributing to our region.

Every winner has its own story of achievement, and it was inspiring to see such a broad range of businesses recognised for their contribution to the local economy, their customers and their communities.

A proud moment for Fat Badger Group and Harrogate

Winning the Judges’ Choice Award is a milestone for Fat Badger Group, and one we are delighted to share with our teams, guests, suppliers and local partners.

While our business continues to grow across Yorkshire, Harrogate remains our home, our inspiration and the driving force behind our future plans. We are committed to investing in our venues, supporting local suppliers, developing our people and contributing to the town’s reputation as a leading destination for hospitality, culture and tourism.

We would like to thank the Harrogate Business Awards organisers, judges and fellow finalists for an excellent evening celebrating local business success.

Here’s to the businesses that make Harrogate special, the people behind their achievements and another year of progress across our wonderful region.