GLASSES were raised last night for a farm diversification project which has grown to become a micro-brewery producing more than 4,000 gallons of beer a week – made from mainly Yorkshire ingredients – with its own bottling plant and a wedding venue venture.

The crown of Business of the Year was presented to Wold Top Brewery at last night’s 24th annual Press Business Awards.

Owners Tom and Gill Mellor stepped up to receive their award in front of more than 400 guests from York, North and East Yorkshire at the black tie dinner and ceremony at York Racecourse.

The Wold Newton-based business, which was founded 11 years ago, and now exports 12 per cent of its £1.2 million turnover, also picked up the title of Small Business of the Year.

With Wold Top Brewery proving to be no stranger to the Press Business Awards, having been named as a finalist in three previous years, in three different categories, 2014 proved to be the winning year for the business, which combines home-grown malting barley with chalk-filtered Yorkshire Wolds water to brew award winning ales.

Having forged links over the past 18 months with partner companies in Europe and worldwide, Wold Top Brewery, which employs a team of 17, has also established a free standing bottling company, Agricola Bottling, that is run by the fourth generation of the family and has made the most of the brewery’s countryside location by setting up a wedding and party venue business on site.

Last night’s awards, supported by headline sponsor Hiscox, also saw Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in honour of his dedication in promoting not only York but the whole of Yorkshire. Each year the award is presented as a surprise to one unsuspecting guest on the night, with Gary singled out for praise as the man who brought the Tour de France to Yorkshire.

Gary’s dream turned reality, of bringing the Grand Depart to the county put York and Yorkshire on the global map with 2.8 million taking to the streets to watch the spectacle, and 3.5 billion tuning in to watch from 188 countries, with an estimated worth of £150 million to the region.

In what was the biggest Press Business Awards to date in terms of attendance, with a new look central stage layout, the evening saw 16 awards presented in total, including the new Technology Business of theYear as well as Large Business of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Dare to Export and Family Business of the Year.

Steve Hughes, managing editor of The Press, said: “It’s been an interesting year and York’s ambition and reputation as a business city continues to grow.

“The awards show the strength of the business community in this region, one which has a real sense of purpose – our very own northern powerhouse.

“All our finalists and all the businesses represented at the awards are working hard, employing people, being creative and innovative – and that’s what we are celebrating.”

The evening featured a guest panel of speakers, each a regional champion in their own right, talking about how York has shaped their ambitions.

Speakers included Gary Verity, along with Sophie Jewett of York Cocoa House, and Alan Millard, chief operating officer at award sponsor Hiscox, which is opening a new £19 million office in York, bringing with it 500 new jobs.

The awards were presented to the winners by local category sponsors with Colin Hazelden, television presenter from BBC East Midlands Today, hosting the ceremony.

• See The Press on Tuesday for a 16-page awards supplement

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