A shortlist of Newcastle-under-Lyme businesses has been revealed, as members of the public are invited to vote to choose the winners of the LoveNUL Business Awards 2026.

Hosted by Newcastle-under-Lyme Business Improvement District, the LoveNUL Business Awards will return to St Giles' Church for their fourth year on Friday 9 October.

Following more than 500 nominations across 13 categories, an independent judging panel has selected five shortlisted businesses in each of the six public vote categories.

The remaining seven awards will be decided by the judging panel with finalists for Customer Service of the Year, New Business of the Year, Market & Event Trader of the Year, Visitor Experience of the Year, Community Connector of the Year, Newcastle Ambassador of the Year and Unsung Hero of the Year due to be announced on Monday 14 September.

Charlotte Pearce, BID Manager at Newcastle-under-Lyme BID, said: "We were incredibly impressed by both the number and quality of nominations received this year.

"More than 500 nominations were submitted across the 13 categories, with some really thoughtful examples of the difference these businesses and individuals make.

"It was great to see such strong representation from across the town, including businesses that have opened more recently as well as those that have been part of Newcastle-under-Lyme for many years.

"The judging panel had some very difficult decisions to make when selecting the shortlist. We'd now encourage people to read about each of the shortlisted businesses, choose who they feel deserves to win and cast their votes before Friday 18th September."

The judging panel includes representatives from the Newcastle-under-Lyme BID Board and organisations from across the town, including Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, Heywoods, New Vic Theatre, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Keele University.

Many of these are also supporting the awards as sponsors, alongside Titanic Brewery, Thompson Wright, University of Staffordshire, We are Staffordshire and 6 Towns Radio.

The businesses shortlisted for the public vote are:

Beauty & Wellbeing Business of the Year

• Divinity Studio
• EM Beauty Clinic
• Filtr Head Spa and Treatment Rooms
• Funeral of Hearts Tattoo Studio
• The Hair House

Business Services of the Year

• amb Insurance Services Ltd
• Hixon Group Ltd
• Hurrah Marketing
• Limelight Marketing Communications Ltd
• SaferHandCare

Café & Coffee Shop of the Year

• Anasma Greek Bakery
• Boba Trent
• Café Java
• No. 21 Cafe and Sandwich Bar
• Piccoloco

Hospitality Venue of the Year

• Amore Italian Restaurant & Cafe
• Breeze Bowls
• Fresco
• Mellards Bar
• The Clubhouse Stoke

Pub, Beer & Ale Venue of the Year

• Bridge Street Ale House
• Mellards Bar
• The Crossways
• The Victoria (Little Vic)
• Tiny Tennessee

Retailer of the Year

• Blacks Menswear
• Exhibit Florist
• Hollies Haberdashery
• Sparrowhawk Vintage
• Tony Price Butchers

Public voting is now open on the website here. Voting closes at 11.59pm on Friday 18 September.

The winners will be revealed at the LoveNUL Business Awards 2026 at St Giles' Church on Friday 9th October.