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Stirling’s outstanding independent and national retailers are set to be recognised and rewarded at the city’s 2026 Business Awards.
Organisers Go Forth Stirling have launched the annual honours which return for a fourth year with the awards ceremony taking place next March.
The launch follows a successful Scotland Loves Local Week, run by Scotland’s Towns Partnership, which showcased the people, businesses and initiatives making a major difference to their communities.
Go Forth Stirling Project Director Danielle McRorie-Smith said: “Scotland Loves Local Week – with its theme of `People Make Places’ – championed businesses and organisations across Scotland and now we are ready to celebrate Stirling’s thriving business community.
“We’re delighted to launch the 2026 Stirling Business Awards and encourage local people to get involved and support the fantastic independent and national businesses we have in Stirling.
“Our awards are an annual opportunity to highlight the wide range of retailers, hotels, attractions, hospitality venues, beauty salons and other businesses based in Stirling and we look forward to seeing who is nominated in the various categories this year.
“To mark the fourth year of the Awards, we’ve added several new categories and we will also be celebrating the achievements of some of Stirling’s most inspirational women.”
Nominations for the Stirling Business Awards 2026, which feature 14 categories, are now open and close on Friday October 24 at 5pm.
The first stage of the awards process will see members of the public put forward local businesses for the various honours via a dedicated webpage – www.independentstirling.co.uk/awards
The awards take place close to International Women’s Day, which is Sunday March 8, and will feature an inspirational new honour – Outstanding Woman in Business.
The regular awards – Café/Coffee Shop of the Year; Visitor Attraction of the Year; Restaurant of the Year; Hair & Beauty Business of the Year and Pub of the Year are all back for 2026.
There is also the New Business of the Year Award – recognising businesses which began trading in 2025 – and Service-led Business of the Year covering healthcare firms, graphic designers, solicitors, tailors, estate agents and more.
The Charity of the Year Award is also returning for nominations and for the first time there will be an award for Charity Shop of the Year.
The Retailer of the Year Award has been expanded to cover Independent Retailer of the Year and National Retailer of the Year to reflect the high calibre of national stores who continue to invest in Stirling in addition to the city’s wide range of unique independent stores.
Meanwhile, further new categories for 2026 are Accommodation of the Year and Most Attractive Shop Front.
Nominees should be businesses based within the city centre BID zone except for Outstanding Woman in Business and Charity of the Year.
After nominations close in October, a longlist of the most popular businesses will be announced and a round of voting will open to choose a shortlist of winners in each category.
Voting for the shortlist will begin on Monday November 10 and close just before Christmas with the shortlist announced in January 2025.
The awards will feature last year’s Charity of the Year Award winner, Transition Stirling, as charity partner; a night of high-octane entertainment and the opportunity to celebrate Stirling’s hardworking business owners.
Go Forth Stirling are also seeking sponsors for the honours including a headline sponsor, entertainment sponsor, drinks sponsor and sponsors for each award category.
Ms McRorie-Smith said: “We’re looking for a range of sponsors who would like to demonstrate their commitment to our business community by backing the awards.
“In return, we can offer the opportunity to position their brand alongside our high-profile and popular awards ceremony which has become a highlight of Stirling’s annual events calendar.”
Go Forth Stirling is the city’s Business Improvement District (BID) which represents more than 600 business owners with a key objective of increasing visitors to the city and devising initiatives to help make it a more welcoming destination for businesses and shoppers.
For more information, visit www.goforthstirling.co.uk
