Hitchin businesses are celebrating after picking up prestigious awards.

The Hertfordshire Business And Community Awards 2021 in association with Little Ankle Biters Herts hosted a sparkling awards evening celebrating your favourite family friendly businesses across the county.

Little Ankle Biters Herts the online family guide hosted their first business and community awards evening this month with the event was attended by more than 100 guests including finalists, sponsors and friends.

Included in the winners list were Little Ruggers, who host fun-based sports classes for boys and girls aged between two to eight years old across North Herts, including Hitchin.

"All of us at Little Ruggers are incredibly honoured to have been awarded as the 'Best Childrens Sports Club in Hertfordshire," owner Matthew Marsden said, adding: "With so many fantastic groups running in our area, including more than 100 nominated in our category, winning this award is truly wonderful.

"Naturally we would like to thank all our members for their continued support and everyone who took the time to vote for us but a special shout out from me must go to all of our outstanding coaches for their hard work and effort to make our classes so successful."

Best New Business winner was Bite Around the World from Hitchin [see Hitchin Nub News soon for more on the successful enterprise].

Little Ankle Biters event hailed huge success

This year was the first in what will become an annual search for the county's most popular local family friendly businesses, where the Little Ankle Biters team have asked the public to vote and honour individuals and organisations who have made an extraordinary impact in their community especially those who have adapted during the Covid pandemic.

There were 17 categories in total, all created to shine a light on the talented and hardworking people behind Hertfordshire's family friendly community.

They included Best Children's Activity Class, Best Place to Eat, Best New Business, Best Community Spirit and Mumprenuer of the Year to name a few.

Little Ankle Biters Herts announced the winners at a sparkling awards event at Harpenden Rugby Club in Harpenden for the 81 finalists, sponsors and special guests.

Penny Joyner-Platt Owner and Director of Little Ankle Biters Herts said: [I]"The Little Ankle Biters Herts Awards evening was a wonderful and long-awaited event to celebrate every finalist after nine months of delays and cancellations due to Covid.

"It was important to me to celebrate in person and not just a virtual event. Now, more than ever, people have rallied together, and individuals and businesses are performing inspirational acts and extraordinary endeavours to help our county, towns and villages.

"Last year was an enormous challenge for everyone – for parents and carers trying to keep a protective layer of positivity around our family unit, and for family friendly businesses that needed to adapt and change like a chameleon to ensure survival.

"The Little Ankle Biters Herts Awards were nominated and voted for by local people and we received over 80,000 visits to the website in two months and each category received between 50 – 120 nominations so the five finalists for each category should be incredibly proud to be amongst the top five in our county by a long way."

The winner for the Little Ankle Biters Herts Awards 2021:

Best Place to Eat in Hertfordshire

Winner: Elephant & Castle Pub, Wheathampstead

Best Theatre in Hertfordshire

Winner: Hertford Theatre, Hertford

Best Museum in Hertfordshire

Winner: Natural History Museum, Tring

Best Soft Play in Hertfordshire

Winner: Parents Paradise, Watford

Best Children's Entertainer

Winner: Parties with a Princess

Best Party Venue in Hertfordshire

Winner: Parents Paradise, Watford

Best Party Supplier in Hertfordshire

Winner: Paint Party By Rachel

Best Sports Club in Hertfordshire

Winner: Little Ruggers, North Hertfordshire

Best Children's Activity Class in Hertfordshire

Winner: LMA Studios Dance School

Best Family Attraction in Hertfordshire

Winner: Cedars Nature Centre, Waltham Cross

Best Charity or Not For Profit in Hertfordshire

Winner: Sopwell Community Trust, St Albans

Best Independent Business in Hertfordshire

Winner: Midnight Blue Marketing, St Albans

Best Pregnancy Business in Hertfordshire

Winner: Body Mechanix, Harpenden

Best New Business

Winner: Bite Around the World, Hitchin

Best New Product/Service in Hertfordshire

Winner: Sleep Time Consulting, St Albans

Mumprenuer of the Year

Winner: Sarah Monte-Colombo, Hallmarked Design

Best Community Spirit

Winner: FizzBug, Harpenden

See Nub News for more on Best New Business winner, Bite Around the World from Hitchin

Little Ankle Biters Hertfordshire is a free website and social platform for every member of the family providing trusted reviews of the best activity clubs, days out, classes and child friendly pubs and restaurants, all supported by great tips and advice about how to entertain kids across Hertfordshire.

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