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Somerset Business Awards 2027: Entries Close 20 November at Midday

·3 min read

Somerset Chamber's 2027 awards close at midday on 20 November 2026. Check eligibility, free entry and the evidence needed for your application.

Last checked against official sources: 18 October 2026

* Dates and timings are subject to change, please check directly with the awards organisers.

Entries for Somerset Chamber of Commerce's Somerset Business Awards 2027 close on Friday 20 November 2026 at midday. The entry form does not specify a timezone: confirm the timing with the organiser rather than assuming a late-evening deadline.

Entry is free, and Chamber membership is not required. This is the Chamber programme, not the similarly named award run by Business Awards UK.

Check Your Location Before Writing

The entry terms require a business in the administrative boundaries of Somerset or the listed eligible North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset postcode areas. If the head office is elsewhere, the application must demonstrate local autonomy over business planning, marketing, HR and budget. Having customers in Somerset alone does not qualify a business, according to the FAQ.

Check the full terms and ask about borderline cases before applying. The FAQ excludes joint-company, franchise and consortium entries; the terms exclude current sponsors during their sponsorship.

Build an Evidence-Led Application

The online form asks for:

  • A statement of no more than 800 words.
  • A maximum of six key summary points.
  • Up to five supporting attachments, each no larger than 2 MB.
  • A company logo.

Some categories make accounts and business plans mandatory. Read the specific category requirements: optional supporting evidence in one category does not make required documents optional in another. A separate application is needed for each category entered.

For categories such as Innovation with Impact Award or Service Excellence Award, choose the achievement you can substantiate. Explain the problem, what changed and the result, pairing a measurable improvement with a concrete example. This is preparation advice, not an additional organiser requirement. See Crafting Winning Awards Entries for a practical structure.

Use the Current Calendar, Not Stale FAQ Text

The category page lists the shortlist announcement on 9 December 2026, judges' visits from 14 December 2026 to 22 January 2027, finalists on 3 February 2027 and the ceremony on 19 March 2027. Shortlisted businesses must be available for interviews and site visits.

There are inconsistencies to check directly. One FAQ answer still gives judges' visits in 2024–2025, while its key-dates section and the category page give the current 2026–2027 window. We follow the current calendar. The FAQ also gives different postcode lists: one includes BS25 and BS39, as the entry terms do, while another omits them. If either affects you, obtain an eligibility decision from the organiser before submitting.

Submit through the official online form and allow time to check your confirmation. Do not leave document uploads or an eligibility query until the closing morning.

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