News: Shortlist revealed for Barnsley & Rotherham Business Awards 2026

Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber has revealed the shortlist for the 2026 Barnsley & Rotherham Business Awards, following a record number of entries from businesses, charities and individuals across the region.

The annual awards will return to Magna in Rotherham on Friday November 6, bringing together hundreds of business leaders and professionals from across Barnsley, Rotherham and South Yorkshire to celebrate achievements from the past 12 months.

This year’s record number of entries highlights the breadth of businesses and organisations seeking recognition across the region, with the shortlisted finalists now selected following a rigorous judging process.

The 2026 awards will recognise achievement across 14 categories, covering areas including business growth, sustainability, customer service, people development, community impact and social value, alongside individual awards celebrating apprentices and business leaders. The overall Business of the Year will also be announced during the ceremony.

The awards ceremony will be hosted by Jess Robinson, the award-winning comedian, impressionist, actor and singer known for her work as the lead female voice on the reboot of Spitting Image, as a core performer on BBC Radio 4’s Dead Ringers and as a regular guest on Channel 4’s The Last Leg.

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Jess, who has performed annually at the Edinburgh Fringe since 2014, will bring her distinctive humour and performance style to the ceremony as finalists, sponsors and guests come together to celebrate the region’s business community.

Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, said: “The record number of entries this year is a real reflection of the strength and diversity of the business community across Barnsley, Rotherham and South Yorkshire.

“We know there is some fantastic work taking place across the region, and the quality and variety of this year’s entries has made the judging process particularly challenging. To reach the shortlist is a significant achievement and these businesses, charities and individuals should be proud of the work they have delivered over the past 12 months.

“The awards give us an opportunity to recognise success in all its different forms, from business growth and innovation to investment in people, customer service and making a positive contribution to our communities.

“We look forward to welcoming our finalists to Magna in November and celebrating their achievements with the wider business community.”

With the shortlist now announced, the finalists will prepare to come together at Magna on Friday 6th November for an evening of celebration, networking and recognition.

Tickets and tables for the 2026 Barnsley & Rotherham Business Awards are now available via the Chamber website.

The shortlist, presented in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Apprentice of the Year Award
Sponsored by RNN Group

Bailey Fletcher – Gala Tent
Ellie Hickling – KCM Waste Management
Holly Thurlbeck – Ridley & Hall
Jamie Kelly – Equans
Noah Burkinshaw – Mears Group

Business Community Impact Award
Sponsored by Rotherham Together Partnership

BetterYou Ltd
Dwellings Doctors
Equans
Magna
TMG Mortgage Group

Business Growth Award
Sponsored by Actus

APM Direct Couriers
Elevation Recruitment Group
Matrix Consulting Engineers Ltd
O&P Construction Services
Ridley & Hall Solicitors

Business Person of the Year Award
Sponsored by OCPR Ltd

Chris Annetts – Optimise Cyber Solutions
Laura Holland – Ecotech Engineers Ltd
Robert M Mitchell – O&P Construction Services
Scott Thorpe – TMG Mortgage Group
Stuart Turner – LensGo Visual Media

Campaign of the Year Award
Sponsored by Rotherham Enterprise Agency Limited

250th St Leger Festival – Chapter II
Bridges to Work – Magna
Dementia Garden – Crossroads Care Charity
The Chelsea Garden Legacy Project – Rotherham Hospital & Community Charity part of Rotherham NHS Foundation
The Pride of Yorkshire – Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity

Charity of the Year Award
Sponsored by Taylor Emmet Solicitors

Barnsley FC Community Trust
Crossroads Care
Rotherham Hospice
Weston Park Cancer Charity
YWCA Yorkshire

Commitment to People Development Award
Sponsored by Pathways to Work, Rotherham

Aspire Personalised Care Ltd
Equans
Gravitate Digital Group
IT Desk
Ridley & Hall Solicitors

Excellence in Customer Service Award
Sponsored by MKB Solicitors

Allendale Building Supplies
International Freight Solutions
IT Desk
Millgate
Wayv

Large Business of the Year Award
Sponsored by Barnsley College

Equans
KCM Waste Management
Mace Group
O&P Construction Services
RNN Group

Most Promising New Business Award
Sponsored by IT Desk

BrookTech
Hamilton Barber
Marvel ICA Ltd
MiniVox
Optimise Cyber Solutions

Small Business of the Year Award
Sponsored by 1101

Apollo Safety
Glu Recruit
Gravitate Digital Group
Professional Energy People
Wildfire Agency

Social Value Business of the Year Award
Sponsored by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Equans
H W Martin
KCM Waste Management
O&P Construction Services
R H Fullwoods

Sustainability Award
Sponsored by Enzygo

1101
Empress Building
ESH Construction
Parkgate
Rotherham Hospital & Community Charity

Business of the Year
Sponsored by Naylor

Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber website

Images: BR Chamber

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News: Construction completes on newest AMP building

Construction has been completed in Rotherham on a new purpose built headquarters for a world-leading engineering firm.

Work began at the end of 2025 at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham on "Project Vulcan" - a new 52,000 sq ft testing, manufacturing and distribution development, facilitating the relocation of Vulcan Seals.

Currently based in Sheffield, Vulcan Engineering Limited specialises in the production of mechanical seals and encapsulated ‘o’-rings. The company has a global presence and is an established world leader in the development and manufacture of high purity, composite encapsulated seals that fulfil a demand in the market where an engineering polymer is either not available or is extremely cost prohibitive.

Caddick Construction secured the £9.4m contract for the project which will expand Vulcan's development and manufacturing of high purity, composite encapsulated seals to serve global demand.

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Once in operation, the new development, located between Brunel Way and the Parkway, will have a focus on inspiring the next generation of engineers and the promotion of green technology, and is set to become a centre for high quality research at the AMP.

The park is currently home to approximately 100 companies, including Rolls Royce, Boeing and McLaren Automotive alongside the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

Throughout the build the project achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating and was recognised with an outstanding 96% Considerate Constructors Scheme score.

The building is set to be Net Zero and includes the installation of a heat pump, electric heating and solar photovoltaic capacity.

As part of Caddick's commitment to social value, volunteers supported Rotherham Hospice with improvements to its outdoor space and jointly donated £2,000 with Vulcan Engineering to further support the incredible work carried out by the hospice.

Vulcan Seals website
Caddick Construction website

Images: Monaghans QS

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News: Tourism continues to boost Rotherham's economy by half a billion pounds a year

In Rotherham, visitor numbers are up, more people are staying within the area, and the economic impact is huge, with over £500m generated directly and indirectly by the tourism sector in 2025, reports Visit Rotherham.

Rotherham is ahead of Barnsley in terms of total tourism visits, economic impact and jobs supported.

Visit Rotherham has looked at new data, commissioned via the South Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership and processed by Global Tourism Solution’s STEAM Report, which shows that increases have continued each year on the back of high profile events and investment in family friendly attractions.

A total of £539m was generated directly and indirectly within the local Rotherham economy through visitor and tourism business expenditure in 2025, with the economic impact 5.8% up on the £509m recorded in the previous year.

The stats showed that there were 5.4 million tourism visits to Rotherham in 2025, up by 0.7%, and that visitor activity and spend supports more than 4,492 full time equivalent jobs in the borough.

Over half a million visits (593,000) were made by visitors staying within Rotherham as part of a holiday or short break, up 0.9% on the previous year and generating 1.4 million nights in local accommodation.

STEAM data for South Yorkshire 2025:

	Tourism Visits	Visitors Staying	Economic Impact	Jobs Supported
Sheffield	18.7 million	1.9 million	£2.0 billion	16,203
Doncaster	10.17 million	873,000	£1.05 billion	8,612
Rotherham	5.4 million	593,000	£539 million	4,492
Barnsley	4.09 million	600,000	£431 million	3,593
S. Yorksire	38.3 million	3.9 million	£4.0 billion	32,788

A highlight for 2025 was Rotherham hosting the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Flower Show when over 60,000 visitors attended Wentworth Woodhouse for the world-famous gardening event.

As the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025, Rotherham has been redefining how creativity, civic purpose and collaboration can be shaped by children and young people. With events across the borough including music, sports and cultural events animating Rotherham town centre, organisers said they had achieved 83,743 "active participations" in activities during the 2025 festival year.

2025 also saw continued success at Gulliver’s Valley with the family theme park bringing attractions such as the “Land of Lights” to Rotherham for the first time.

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In the town centre, and continuing the move towards more leisure uses following the opening of Arc Cinema on Forge Island, 2025 saw the re-opening of the Empire Theatre after a £1.8m restoration.

At Clifton Park, one of Yorkshire’s best free days out, the revamped water splash opened in 2025 and now welcomes over 30,000 people in the summer seasons enjoying the new paddling pool and splash pads.

Like the rest of South Yorkshire, Rotherham does well to attract visitors for a day out - the data shows that 4.8 million tourism visits were made by day visitors in 2025 (up 0.6% on 2024). Day visitors make up a huge 89% of total visitors to the area.

In Rotherham, day visitors enjoy the award-winning Clifton Park, and the unique events space and hands-on exhibits at the Magna Science Adventure Centre. Sports fans come for football, rugby and boxing, and less mainstream sports events such as the Open Water National Championships held at Rother Valley Country Park.

Tom Austen, founder of Visit Rotherham, said: “The report makes for fantastic reading and shows that Rotherham continues to be a place that people want to visit and invest in.

“We still need to shout more about what we've got here. Other destinations would love to have attractions like Magna, Wentworth Woodhouse, Gulliver’s Valley and Grimm & Co. And 70% of Rotherham is open countryside with picturesque villages and country parks created from former coalfields and industrial areas.

“That's why I set up Visit Rotherham at visitrotherham.com - to tell people about what Rotherham has to offer, the new venues and attractions opening, the busy events calendar, and the best places to go.

“A lot of it is about changing Rotherham’s image and people’s perceptions. Rotherham, and South Yorkshire, is a great place for people who like a good value family day out, want to learn about our heritage, like to get outdoors, or enjoy the theatre, live music and a decent pint.

“The website also helps local people find out all of the amazing things that are happening in their hometown that they can get involved with and be proud of.”

Looking ahead, further investment in tourism in Rotherham is planned. At Wentworth Woodhouse, a unique holiday let is being created in the Grade-I listed mansion, and the RHS is set to return in 2028.

A new £10m tram-train stop at Magna is enabling operators to host more music events, and at Manvers, plans are moving ahead for a £14m project to create a whitewater course.

And from nearly 400 bids, Rotherham has been shortlisted to become the UK's first Town of Culture in 2027.

Visit Rotherham website

Images: Gulliver's Valley / WWPT

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News: Chantry Brewery creates “Chancellor’s Choice”

A Rotherham brewery has commemorated a cut in business rates bills for pubs, social clubs and live music venues.

Earlier this year, the Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to cut rates from April next year that should see the typical pub save an estimated £1,100.

Following publication of new rateable values in 2025, the government previously announced an additional 15% relief for pubs, clubs and live music venues, to be applied from 2026/27 after other transitional relief.

The latest fully funded plan involves an additional 20% relief from 2027/28.

The government has also announced a review into the way in which pubs and hotels are valued for business rates, with any changes to be implemented at the next revaluation in 2029.

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Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said: "Pubs, clubs and live music venues are at the heart of communities across the UK. They help make a place what we love. They bring people together, support local jobs and help keep high streets and town centres busy — which is why we will back them all the way.

"We are determined to bring hope back, give businesses the support they need and generate growth in every postcode.

“This is just one step of the Government’s plans to back our communities and high streets, and we will return to our commitment to reform the wider business rates system, including Small Business Rates Relief, at the Budget.”

To recognise the announcement, Rotherham-based brewers Chantry Brewery created a special commemorative “Chancellor’s Choice” pint. As well as being Chancellor of the Exchequer. Healey is also MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough.

The Parkgate brewery also operates a number of pubs and live music venues.

A new review into business rates in the sector comes as the pubs and hotels sectors saw significant increases in rateable value at the 2026 revaluation in large part due to the ending of pandemic-era valuations.

Chantry Brewery website

Images: John Healey

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News: Proposed new Irish bar in Rotherham sees licence application refused

Entrepreneurs hoping to open an Irish bar in a popular area of Rotherham have seen their licence application turned down by Rotherham Council.

Rothbiz reported recently on a meeting of the authority's Licensing Sub-Committee which discussed the proposals from Jaxx Irish Bar Limited.

British bakery chain, Greggs, has expanded at The Tanyard in Wickersley, taking on the former Peter Cusworth Butcher's shop, to create a bakery and cafe. With the new store now open, this meant that 236 Bawtry Road was left empty and was lined up to be converted into a small Irish bar.

Rotherham Council operates a policy that affects the number of new or varied alcohol licences being granted in the Wickersley area which is designated as a Cumulative Impact Zone.

The Cumulative Impact Policy means that there is a presumption that an application in the zone would be refused and the onus is on the applicant to show that the premises are suitable for the area, and to determine how the council's licensing objectives would not be undermined. Usually that is reversed and the onus is on the authority to show how those objectives would be undermined.

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Despite setting out that the new premises would have a capacity of 35 which the applicant said could be controlled and much more manageable, Alan Pogorzelec, Licensing Manager at Rotherham Council, told the meeting that the applicant has failed to address matters relating to noise, and preventing crime and disorder and public nuisance.

The opening hours requested were Monday to Wednesday 16:00 to 22:30, Thursday 16:00 to 23:00, Friday 14:00 to 00:00, Saturday 12:00 to 00:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 22:00.

Objections have been received from residents, the Council's Licensing Authority, Wickersley Parish Council and local councillors.

Applicant Joshua White explained to a recent meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee: "We completely understand the Cumulative Impact Zone, we are Wickersley residents ourselves, so we understand what goes on over the road and what can happen. This is why we are trying to bring a completely fresh idea to the village. Something new, exciting, to create opportunities for locals in terms of job opportunities and live music with opportunities for individuals to showcase their talents, and give them that platform."

Alan Pogorzelec told the meeting: "The intention of the policy is to make it clear that Wickersley is not like a town centre where the infrastructure and resources from the police, ambulance service, other partners are much more focused. That's not the case in Wickersley - the resources available are generally lower than those available in a regular town centre.

"This isn't a desire for me to stop the development and Mr White's dreams and long term plans for business, but what we have to be extremely mindful of is that this policy was introduced for a reason - the impact that premises were having on people in Wickersley, some of whom are clearly concerned about this application."

The meeting minutes now show that members voted to refuse the application for the Jaxx Irish Bar.

Images: Google Maps

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