Preston’s 2023 ‘High Street Heroes’ crowned: find out who won and see the scenes from the event

The competition, organised by Preston Business Improvement District (BID), and supported by Visit Preston, saw 17 awards handed out, following a public vote, on Wednesday, October 17.

The ‘High Street Heroes’ Awards aim to recognise the hard work and commitment of individuals, and leisure and retail businesses in the city centre.

The ceremony, which took place at Ivory Tower @ 1842, saw 200 representatives from businesses join together to celebrate their continued hard work and success.

The awards saw 96 finalists in 16 categories, with the total number of public votes reaching almost 80,000.

A special award, ‘Proud Preston Ambassador’ was also handed out to John Gillmore, a popular regional radio presenter, who recently presented his last show after almost four decades of promoting Lancashire, and more particularly, Preston.

A spokesperson for BID said: “The high street can be a challenging place to do business. The finalists and winners, chosen purely by the public, have demonstrated their passion to the city, and to providing an outstanding experience to their visitors.

“The winners, and finalists, deserve the opportunity to reflect on their hard work, determination and commitment – their efforts ensure that Preston remains a great place to enjoy.

“We send our sincere congratulations to all of them and wish them continued success”.

See all 17 winners below and other pictures from the event: