A SHOP in Ryedale has scooped a prestigious business award.

Kemp’s General Store, on Market Square in Malton, has won an FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Celebrating Small Business Award for the Yorkshire and Humber area.

Shortlisted earlier this year for the Micro Business of the Year category, Liz Kemp who owns Kemp’s, joined fellow regional nominees at the area final which took place on March 1 in York.

Kemp’s General Store will now go through to the national final which will be held on May 23 in London.

Liz said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Kemp’s General Store has won this regional award as a celebration of the value and impact of small businesses to the country’s economy.

“The judges loved our philosophy of good old fashioned customer service as a key element of this burgeoning micro business and I’d like to think that Kemp’s relationship with both customers and the Malton business community played a part in this win.

“I feel Malton is also being recognised for its commitment to providing a home to such a diverse range of business opportunities which ultimately benefit both our community and attract visitors. This is a win in itself, but I look forward to seeing what May brings.”

With the country divided up into 12 regions, Kemp’s was one of four finalists from the Yorkshire and Humber area in the Micro Business of the Year category along with Tadcaster-based Service Sports (Wetherby) ltd Top of the Range which provides specialist clothing and equipment to help people maximise their performance, comfort and safety in extreme conditions.

Other categories include Business and Product Innovation Award and International Business of the Year, among a total of 11 categories.

Liz, who grew up above her parent’s shop in West Yorkshire, opened Kemp’s General Store in 2017 as an emporium of gifts and must-haves for the home, many sourced locally and mostly British made.

Kemp’s was also recently nominated as one of the 100 shops across the country to be included in the renowned Small Business Saturday.

This is the second year the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards have taken place.

The awards recognise the best small businesses and the self-employed across the UK, from every sector and industry and from businesses of all ages and all sizes. The FSB says the awards are the “leading celebration of small businesses”, shining a light on some of the best, most innovative and most determined small businesses.