Muddy Award Winners Drinks 2022!

You did it, they did it, we all did it! We all voted for our favourite local businesses in Kent and after a fierce competition, it was time to celebrate. Pop the cork and cue the cocktails!

Photography by Mollie Manning

The Muddy Stilettos Awards 2022 is closed, the culmination of six weeks of cheer-leading, sharing the love and voting for the most brilliant local businesses across 28 Muddy counties, in partnership with our national sponsor Healthily and fab local partner Bloom Stays. This year, an astonishing 75,000 businesses nominated and 765,000 total votes cast in 2022. I know, bonkers! 

Great Higham Barn & Cottages

So our 2022 Kent Muddy Stilettos Awards winners gathered together for an evening of celebration this week at Great Higham Barn in Doddington. It’s a stunning period barn and cottages with breathtaking huge rooms that are heavily beamed with contemporary touches, several seating areas, swimming pool, tennis court and an enormous kitchen with space for all – it’s so stunning!

Stunning flower centrepiece by Anemone Blue Florist

Frankly, the whole thing was a blast from beginning to end. Getting to meet inspirational, creative people – after all finding brilliant local businesses is right at the heart of Muddy and we really do love it.

Our epic chocolate and raspberry cake by Bohemian Treats

Running a business requires great effort and to make it a successful one that brightens up our daily lives, adding to our community, is no mean feat. So it’s an honour to be able to celebrate this on behalf of hard-working business owners across Kent.

Delicious grazing boats from The Happy Grazing Company

And these winning businesses should feel proud. ALL the Finalists were a hugely talented bunch and the battle to reach the finals was insane. So to then win is an incredible achievement, with hundreds and hundreds of businesses nominated from all corners of the county, from teeny-tiny villages, to our bigger towns.

The fantastic Cocktail Social serving Biddenden Vineyard alcohol and soft drinks

But without you lovely readers there would be no party and no awards, so it’s a big heartfelt THANK YOU from me and the Muddy team for taking your time to vote and give your local favourites a pat on the back, you’ve really shown how in love with local you are. Your support means everything to them.

Beautiful rural views

We all enjoyed a glass (or three) of something chilled and bubbly, thanks to the wonderful Biddenden Vineyards, who generously donated drinks for the night. There was also sensational tasty bites from winners of Best Startup in Kent, The Happy Grazing Company.

Muddy Kent Editor, Ali and co-founders of Bloom Stays, Rowena and Nicky

The stunning flower displays were a gift from Anemone Blue Florist, winner of Best Florist in Kent. Plus we enjoyed sweet treats from the gorgeous Bohemian Treats.

Tunbridge Wells winners! Left to right: Isabella Grace Bridal, Once Upon A Wish Events, Flow Yoga Studio, The Zero Waste Company, The Beacon and Juliets Cafe

It’s all over for another year, but we’ll see you in 2023 for the 7th year of the Awards. Until then, huge congrats to the Muddy Awards Winners 2022!

Ashford winners! Left to right: Anemone Blue Florist, Simply Ice Cream, The Beehive, The Nest Studio and Made in Ashford

One final thank yous to our brilliant creative team we had on the evening!

Photographer Mollie Manning capturing the story of you and your business so well (take 1 min out to look at her website and you’ll see what I mean.) She’s worked with some great local brands and influencers.

Plus our drone operator and videographer James Cross from Cross Visuals who went above and beyond (literally!) to capture the beautiful evening and we can’t wait to share soon!

Videography by Cross Visuals

I just want to take the opportunity once more to say a massive CONGRATS to everyone who found themselves nominated, a finalist and eventually a winner.

Bloom Stays & Muddy Kent team

The warmth in the room really hit home to me how much talent, character and good-feeling there is here in Kent. I’m not sure my blithering speech did you justice, but the sentiment is definitely there!

Here’s some pics of our lovely winners, clutching their certificates (we even gave them window stickers too – the lucky sausages…) What a glamorous, joyous group of individuals they all are!

THE MUDDY STILETTOS AWARDS WINNERS 2022

Say hello to the BEST…

ART SPACE: Nest Studio (Ashford)

BAR: The Pilot Beach Bar (Folkestone)

BEAUTY SALON: The Hart Spa (Sevenoaks)

BOOKSHOP: Sevenoaks Bookshop (Sevenoaks)

BRIDAL STORE: Isabella Grace Bridal (Tunbridge Wells)

BOUTIQUE STAY: The Dog at Wingham (Wingham)

CAFÉ: Juliets (Tunbridge Wells)

Top row, left to right: Sevenoaks Bookshop, The Happy Grazing Company, The Beacon, Fitzgerald Jewellers. Bottom row, left to right: Mooie Fee Photography, Juliets Cafe, Flow Yoga Studio and The Hythe Imperial

CHILDREN’S BUSINESS: Once Upon A Wish Events (Tunbridge Wells)

DAY SPA: Sheldon Spa (Sheldwich)

DESTINATION PUB: The Milk House (Sissinghurst)

FAMILY ATTRACTION: Wingham Wildlife Park (Wingham)

FARM SHOP/DELI: Macknade (Faversham)

FITNESS INSTRUCTOR: Tom Jarrett, Brigade Fitness (Marden)

FLORIST: Anemone Blue Florist (Ashford)

Top row, left to right: Isabella Grace Bridal, The Hart Spa, Buoy & Oyster. Bottom row, left to right: Marlowe Theatre, Macknade and The Dog at Wingham

HAIR SALON: Caisters Hair Lounge (Hawkhurst)

HOTEL: The Hythe Imperial (Hythe)

JEWELLER: Fitzgerald Jewellers (Canterbury)

LIFESTYLE STORE: Made In Ashford (Ashford)

LOCAL PRODUCER (FOOD/DRINK): Simply Ice Cream (Ashford)

NEW LIFESTYLE START-UP: The Happy Grazing Company (Sevenoaks)

Top row, left to right: Tom Jarrett, Caisters Hair Lounge, The Milk House and The Zero Waste Company. Bottom row, left to right: The Beehive, Anemone Blue Florist, Nest Studio and Once Upon A Wish Events.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Mooie Fee Photography (Folkestone)

RESTAURANT: Buoy & Oyster (Margate)

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS: The Zero Waste Company (Tunbridge Wells)

THEATRE/ARTS VENUE: The Marlowe (Canterbury)

WEDDING VENUE: The Beacon (Tunbridge Wells)

WOMEN’S FASHION STORE: The Beehive (Ashford)

YOGA/PILATES STUDIO: Flow Yoga Studio (Tunbridge Wells)

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