A WEDDING venue and an eco-friendly shop both based in Romsey have been honoured with top awards after receiving hundreds of votes from their happy customers.
The businesses were successful on this year's Muddy Stilettos Awards, the ninth year of the honours that celebrate businesses in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
More than 500,000 people nominated more than 75,000 businesses in the first round of the awards.
The top five with the most votes in each category in each county made it into the finals.
READ MORE: Jess opens first zero waste shop in Romsey
Readers of the Muddy Stilettos lifestyle website nominated and voted for their favourite independent businesses across 27 different lifestyle categories, from best pub to best yoga studio, best boutique stay and best wedding venue.
Kimbridge Barn, a wedding venue, café and tea room and events space in Kimbridge, was named Best Wedding Venue.
The venue is part of a group of hospitality venues in Hampshire and West Sussex called Ideal Collection.
The group, which also includes The White Horse in Otterbourne, The Bugle in Hamble, Swanwick Boat House Cade and the Chichester Boat House Cafe, was established in 2002.
It prides itself on and "bringing you the very best in local produce, service that makes you smile and unique, comfortable spaces, so you can get the most from your downtime."
Lemon & Jinja, a refill shop and cafe based in Basepoint Business Centres, Premier Way, was named best sustainable business.
The zero-waste shop was set up by Jess Dugdale in 2018, and opened its retail unit in 2019. It sells foods and household items without unnecessary packaging.
Manager of Lemon and Jinja, Zoe Walton said: "Our customers are absolutely amazing and they're the reason we do this.
"Even when they come in and don't buy anything, it's so lovely to talk about how we can make a better impact on our planet."
Hero Brown, founder and editor-in-chief of Muddy Stilettos, said: “I set up these awards nine years ago to give local lifestyle businesses a chance to shout about how brilliant they are.
"After two years of multiple lockdowns and a hard climb out of such disruption, it’s been an honour to showcase the most awesome lifestyle businesses across Hampshire & Isle of Wight, in partnership with Healthily and our local sponsor, Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries.
"The response to this year’s Muddy Awards has been astonishing – thousands and thousands voted giving such a fantastic boost and a well-deserved pat-on-the-back to so many.
"I hope it will give the winning businesses even greater confidence to keep persevering, growing and being creative.”
The full list of Muddy Awards 2022 winners across 28 counties nationally is available at Muddystilettos.co.uk/Awards
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