AN award-winning personal fitness business is shaping up for further award success after being selected to help York retain its crown in a national competition.

As the winner of the Press Business Awards' New Business of the Year title in November last year, Podfit is being put forward to represent the city in this year's Local Business Accelerators (LBA) competition.

Organised by Local Media Works, the marketing body for the local press industry, the LBA campaign will see local newspapers up and down Britain, including The Press in York, join the hunt to find the best local businesses.

Regional winners will be put forward to a national final, where the overall winner will scoop the LBA national prize of business mentoring from LBA campaign ambassador and Dragon's Den star Deborah Meaden, as well as free local newspaper advertising to take their business to the next level.

In the last LBA competition, held in 2013, the national title was won by York Cocoa House.

At the time the business, set up by Sophie Jewett, had only been open for two years and was operating a cafe with big ambitions in Blake Street.

Now York Cocoa House makes its own range of chocolate products, runs chocolate-making workshops, and has its own e-commerce website, as well as the cafe.

Speaking about how winning the national LBA competition has affected her business, Ms Jewett said: “The competition immediately appealed to us as it had a strong offering of prizes. As a small business you never miss an opportunity to engage with the public.

"After winning the competition part of the prize was working with a branding agency which really allowed us to bring our brand to life.

"Deborah Meaden was also very supportive of us, and what we were trying to do. Having reassurance from her was very encouraging.

"What winning the competition gave us was confidence going forward, and a little bit of validation for what we were doing.

"Having the opportunity to work with so many other organisations and the access to their expertise was invaluable. It can be a very isolating experience running a business, and doing something a bit different.

"There are so many businesses out there that are full of amazing people that are great at what they do, and this competition is a great opportunity to showcase them."

Podfit is now hoping to following in York Cocoa House's footsteps after being launched in April 2014 as a personal training studio in Market Street.

Founded by former PE teacher Neil Owens, Podfit offers three separate personal training zones, each with its only equipment, and is already expecting to outgrow its current premises by the end of next year.

Mr Owens said: "At our current rate of growth, we will outgrow our space in 2016.

"We are building a scalable business, with plans to expand into larger premises with potential to have multiple sites in nearby cities with franchises within five years.

"There is potential to have our goal oriented achievement model in mainstream gyms nationwide, shifting from the poor return on investment currently experienced by many gym subscribers."

Also being put forward by The Press for the LBA are the Yorkshire Meatball Co. and the Yorkshire Wagyu Company, both finalists in the New Business of the Year category.

Nationally the competition is represented by ambassador Deborah Meaden, who said: “Since its inception, LBA has consistently demonstrated that local media advertising can accelerate local businesses, energising and invigorating local economies.

“That is because people trust local news brands more than any other media, and are much more likely to engage with, and act upon, the advertising within them.

“I am delighted to be fronting LBA once again and would encourage all businesses out there to contact their local newspaper to find out how they can get involved.”

Entries will be judged later this month, with the national shortlist due to be announcement in March.