A Strathaven-based business is celebrating this week after scooping a top award.
Old Mother Hunt Rum has been named as 'best start up' in Britain at the Journal Magazine Awards, which celebrates the best independent businesses across the UK.
The family run distillery was nominated as finalist for the by judges Alison Edgar, and Scottish TV presenter Zara Janjua.
Since then, the public has been voting in their thousands, with the South Lanarkshire business coming out on top.
The small batch craft rum is made from scratch in the heart Strathaven and was founded by husband-and-wife team, Matt and Becky Hunt after Matt lost his job as an airline pilot during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple do everything from website design to bottling rum and producing an authentic spirit with a minimal impact on the environment.
Becky told Lanarkshire Live this week: “This is an incredible feeling. It has given us a much-needed boost to carry on pushing forward.
"It’s unbelievable that we’ve won after being nominated alongside so many incredible companies. It feels unreal that we’ve come so far in less than a year of trading.
"Creating an entire company ourselves has been a challenge to put it mildly. We’ve been through a steep learning curve in every aspect, from flavour combination and label designs to building a website and marketing. “
The Journal Awards is sponsored by the luxury and lifestyle online platform Mór.
Its chief executive, Urchana Moudgil, told us : “The community should be very proud of Becky and Matt.
"This in a fantastic achievement and I hope this encourages even more people to think about supporting local businesses.
"We have been delighted to support some of the most exciting, innovative and independent brands across the UK during these awards.
"It’s important that we continue to encourage the next generation of talented entrepreneur's and business owners.”
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