YORK Press Business of the Year, Wold Top Brewery, has been named Britain’s Best Growth Story in a national competition.

The family-run business, based near Driffield, won the accolade in the GREAT Faces of British Business competition, run by the Government in association with BT.

Producing ale from its home grown malting barley, Wold Top was awarded the title following a public vote and judges’ scoring system.

The award came after the company was named Business of the Year at the Press Business Awards in November, having also won the Small Business of the Year category. In winning Britain’s Best Growth Story, the Wold Top team impressed the judges with its tale of converting a barn into a microbrewery, initially producing 300 gallons a week with no paid staff.

Last year the business saw production reach 4,300 gallons a week, with the brewery set to increase in size by 150 per cent over the next year. The national judges commented that “the rate of production now has real momentum and is supported by a growing domestic and international customer base”.

Gill Mellor, director of the brewery said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been crowned a national winner of the GREAT Faces of British Business competition.

“Winning this award truly sets us apart from the competition in our field, and we hope we will inspire other small businesses everywhere to foster their success.”

In total, four awards were presented at the competition ceremony: Britain’s Best Exporter; Most Innovative Small Business; Best Growth Story, and the top Grand Prix prize.

Business Minister Matthew Hancock said: “Following the public vote, Wold Top Brewery has been named Best Growth Story. They are an inspiration to other businesses and are proof that there has never been a better time to start a business.”

The GREAT Faces awards are part of the Business is GREAT Britain campaign, which aims to celebrate small businesses, and is run by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and UK Trade & Investment.