.png)
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
Over the last week, two of our favourite Leicester and Leicestershire influencers (don’t worry everyone else, we love you too!) have been holding their annual awards.
The Muddy Awards and the Your Leicester Awards were voted for by followers of the respective platforms, and celebrate some of the very best places to eat, drink, shop, relax, stay and play around the city and county.
So without further ado, let’s reveal the winners!
The Muddy Awards
These annual awards celebrate the best from across Leicestershire, whether its place to eat and stay, shops, lifestyle businesses or venues. So let’s count down here, there’s a load of categories, so we’ve tried to theme them.
Food and drink
The Best Café was named as Bom Bom Patisserie in Loughborough, whose two shops are well worth a visit to experience their creations. The best Destination Pub was Hercules Revived in Sutton Cheney which offers freshly prepared local food, a great beer selection and one of the best wine cellars around. And best Bar was Fur and Feather in Melton Mowbray’s Stockyard development, a fantastic addition to the Rural Capital of Food.
They’ve become the centre of the local community thanks to their commitment to showcasing local produce, and Wigston Deli at Not Just a Corner Shop were named the Best Farmshop/Deli. The best Local Food/Drink Producer was Ferneley’s Ice Cream, and their combination of great ice cream and adventure golf is always a great day out. Finally for this section, the best restaurant went to The Grey Goose in Lutterworth whose local food with an international flavour always inspires.
Stays
Looking for a great place to stay? Well the best hotel went to the stunning Kilworth House Hotel in Lutterworth, whose mix of luxury 4 star surroundings and summer outdoor theatre shows are a sure winner. The best Boutique Stay was awarded to Mallory Meadows thanks to their gorgeous rustic wooden cabins, luxurious roundhouses, right in the Leicestershire countryside.
Shopping
Leicestershire is full of great places to shop, and these awards celebrate some of the more quirky and esoteric places you can find. Wingates Gallery in Market Harborough is family owned, fully independent and was named the Best Art Gallery. Also in Market Harborough, Quinns Bookshop was voted as the best place to grab a new novel, reference tome or something to keep the kids entertained for the third year running! If you’re looking for the perfect place to browse and find that special something for a birthday or celebration, then Charlie & Alf’s gift shop in Oadby was named the Best Lifestyle Store.
Looking for somewhere to pick up something shiny for that special someone? Then best head to Daisy Rose Jewellery in Quorn who walked away with the Best Jeweller award. Fantastic florists are all over the county, but this year Daisy and Fox in Tur Langton were the winners. Looking for a clothing store with a conscience? Then Noelle in Leicester is a great option. They are an independent loungewear store whose products are ethically made in the UK and they won best Sustainable Lifestyle Business.
The best places to go to get glammed up? Well they’ve got those for you too. The best hair salon was Aura Hair Beauty and Aesthetics Clinic in Market Harborough (who seem to be blitzing this section, we always did say it was the best place to shop!) And finally, the Best Women’s Fashion can be found at the Black Diamond Boutique in Burbage.
Entertainment
We know how to entertain here in Leicester and the Best Theatre/Arts Venue was, as we could probably expect, the Curve theatre in Leicester, home to fantastic homegrown productions and the best touring shows.
There’s loads for the kids to do too. The Best Children’s Business was named as Outdoor Explorers in Tur Langton, the perfect place to get your little ones out in the open air and reconnecting to nature while exploring our beautiful countryside. The best Family Attraction is one that we’ve talked about before… Windmill Farm Park near Kibworth. With animals to meet, a great play barn and café and some brilliant special events, this is the perfect place for a family day out.
Lifestyle
Whether it’s relaxing, being pampered or getting fit, the county has lots to offer. The Best New Lifestyle Start-up was given to Laura Lane Studios in Market Harborough who have three floors of studios for a luxury salon experience, taking care of you from top to toe. The best overall Beauty Salon/Clinic was Revive Skin and Spa, also in Market Harborough who offer a range of spa experiences, plus afternoon tea!
The Best Day Spa was an ever present fixture, as Ragdale Hall Spa near Melton Mowbray was crowned the winner. For more than 30 years Ragdale Hall has been provided perfect relaxing getaways for all.
But taking care of yourself isn’t all about relaxing, it's about staying fit too. The county’s Best Fitness Instructor was revealed to be Dave Clarke at Hybrid Fit in Broughton Astley. Time to get hot? Well that’s exactly the order of the day at Bikram Yoga Leicester whose hot yoga classes saw them named the Best Yoga/Pilates Studio.
Weddings
The Muddy Awards also give recognition to those places catering to the wedding market, because if you’re planning your big day, then you deserve only the very best. The Best Bridal Store was Dress Me Pretty Bridal Room in Hinckley and their gorgeous surroundings definitely take the stress out of the dress.
The county’s Best Wedding Photographer was named as Gina Fernandes Photography from just over the border in Rutland (but she covers the whole of the East Midlands!) and the big one, the Best Wedding Venue was confirmed as Bridge House Barn in Kibworth, and looking at their rustic marquee and stable complex, we honestly couldn’t think of a better place to hold your special day.
Your Leicester Awards
The Your Leicester Awards were voted for by more than 16,000+ people. All 14 winners were nominated and voted for by the people of Leicester.
The Best Adult Activity was the recently opened ReRoll Board Game Cafe which offers a huge selections of games alongside great food and drink. Best bar went to Firebug who have just celebrated their 20th anniversary.
When it comes to food we’re spoiled for choice! The best Breakfast was awarded to St Martin’s Coffee Shop in St Martin’s Square and the best coffee Shop went to 6 Degrees Coffee House on London Road. Leicester’s favourite restaurant was The Frame, which recently opened in St Martin’s Square and offers you a taste of the Mediterranean, and the favourite takeaway was Huns Vegan on Welford Road which offers a great selection of meat free burgers, hot dogs, loaded fries and sides.
When it comes to attractions, there’s loads on offer here, with Lane 7 picking up the nod for favourite day activity and Artsters stay and play, a creative art group for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers being named best kids activity.
And onto the big ones, Hotel Brooklyn cemented its status as the hippest new place to stay in the city, the brightest corner of Clarendon Park – Karma Corner – was named the best Independent Retailer, and the O2 Academy Leicester at the University of Leicester got the Best Music Venue award.
While they haven’t had the best of seasons, Leicester City FC still provided the best sporting experience and the county’s favourite day out, Bradgate Park, was chosen for two awards, Best Green Space and Best Visitor Attraction!
.png){kind=icon}
As we celebrate local excellence, it's essential to recognize the significance of supporting businesses and, when needed, having financial resources available. For those exploring options like payday loans and wondering about their nature, insights from https://paydaysay.com/is-a-payday-loan-secured-or-unsecured/ can be informative.
Kudos to the winners and Visit Leicester for showcasing the best of the local scene. Here's to continued success, community support, and discovering more hidden gems in Leicester!