LORRAINE BREMNER MCBRIDE: This great response shows very clearly that people really do love and support our local city centre businesses

Firstly, many thanks to everyone who took the time to vote for the Inverness City Centre BID awards (sponsored by the Inverness Courier).

And a very big congratulations to the businesses and charities who were voted onto the shortlist and/or who made the final as a result.

The public have really got behind the 2022 awards, having cast an incredible 33,921 votes in total across the 13 categories, which is our best response to date.

The awards allow us all to celebrate the city centre, its organisations, the people behind them, as well as showing our appreciation of the variety and quality of goods and services offered, which after a difficult two to three years is arguably needed this year more than ever.

That said, it is of great importance to highlight

that although there are just four finalists in each category, there were and are many more fantastic businesses who received strong support and extremely positive feedback as captured during the voting process and who are also deserving of a collective very well done for their great efforts too.

Indeed, given the tough competition and high standard of nominations, the BID team did not envy the public the task of choosing just one winner, who will be announced at our awards ceremony to

be held on November 1, 2022.

This great response demonstrates very

clearly that the people

of Inverness and surrounding areas really do love and support our locally based businesses so, just in case you missed it, supporting local will soon be easier to do than ever when the Inverness City Centre BID Gift Card launches on November 6, 2022.

Purchasing the card will be quick and easy and recipients will be able to choose to spend the value at an impressive and extensive range of venues throughout the city centre and interim enquiries can be sent to: info@inverness.uk.com

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