Successfully running for the last two years, The Purbeck Business Awards in Dorset, has attracted so many entries from Swanage businesses, that the town is to get its own awards for 2025.
First launched in September 2022, the awards for Purbeck covering Swanage and Wareham, have focused on giving a boost to grassroot businesses, especially in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
Winners of the Purbeck Business Awards in 2024 included artist Andy Knill, Swanage Railway, Jurassic Care, and Corbens Estate Agents
Free to enter
Now the organiser Nigel Reeve from Marketing West SW has decided to recognise each town by creating separate business awards for Swanage and Wareham.
Entries that have already been submitted for the Purbeck awards scheme will automatically be considered for either the Swanage or Wareham awards.
It remains free to enter, with a deadline for entries to the Swanage Business Awards now extended to Friday 29th August 2025. The awards ceremony will be at lunchtime on Thursday 9th October 2025 at The Mowlem in Swanage.
Entries for the Wareham awards close on Friday 13th June 2025.
The first Purbeck Business Awards in 2023 celebrated winners including Swanage outdoor adventure companies, Land and Wave and Cumulus, Purbeck House Hotel and Dorset Adventure Park
Swanage Business Awards categories for 2025
- Customer service
- Best place to work
- Casual dining
- Cafe / tearoom
- My favourite business
- Family business
- B2B business
- Retail business
- New business of the year
- Independent business
- Green / eco
- Community
“Vibrant area with thriving local businesses”
Nigel Reeve from Marketing West SW said:
“We have had two very successful years with the Purbeck Business Awards, however both Swanage and Wareham have strong local business communities and we wanted to recognise this.
“The aim of the awards is to promote the range and quality of local business, which we believe are the backbone of the local economy.
“Separating the two areas became the obvious thing to do. Taking Swanage as an example, it’s a vibrant area with thriving local businesses and we really wanted to highlight that.
“Entries for the Swanage awards alone are already above the final total for both areas last year which shows the strength of the local traders.
“We’ve extended the deadline for Swanage entries, so there’s plenty of time to apply. It’s free and it’s good fun, so it would be great to get more local people nominating Swanage businesses which they believe should get greater recognition!”
The target is to get 100 plus Swanage entries, with more than 60 attending the lunchtime awards ceremony at The Mowlem in autumn 2025.
To promote the Swanage awards further, Marketing West SW has just released an awards video with details on how to enter or be involved as a sponsor.
Watch the video
Further details
- More about the Swanage Business Awards
- How to enter the Wareham Business Awards
