Aberdeen Inspired's chief executive Adrian Watson, and project manager, Shona Byrne, are urging Aberdonians to nominate their favourite local business in a UK-wide competition. Image - Aberdeen Inspired.
Do you have a favourite business in the Granite City? Now is your chance to nominate them for a prestigious UK-wide award – and be in with the chance of winning a £1,000 Aberdeen Gift Card for yourself.
The UK’s Favourite Local Business competition – backed by Aberdeen Inspired - aims to give shops, restaurants, salons, hotels and attractions a much-needed boost by putting them in the spotlight, while also encouraging people to support local.
The competition is staged across the nation by Miconex, who deliver local gift card programmes around the world, including the award-winning Aberdeen Gift Card, which is managed by Aberdeen Inspired.
The UK’s Favourite Local Business 2026 winner will receive a £1,000 Aberdeen Gift Card, with one person who nominated them also winning a £1,000 Aberdeen Gift Card.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, has high hopes a business from the Granite City will scoop the national title – as furniture retailer Annie Mo’s on Union Street did in 2024.
“We have an absolute wealth of outstanding shops, restaurants, hotels, salons and many other attractions in Aberdeen, many of them well-loved and well-supported. I hope that the people of Aberdeen show that love and support by nominating their favourite place to be the UK’s Favourite Local Business,” said Adrian.
Annie Mo's on Union Street was named the UK's Favourite Local Business in 2024. Image - Aberdeen Inspired
He added that Aberdeen Inspired was an unflinching champion of supporting local – one of the driving forces for bringing the Aberdeen Gift Card to the Granite City, now accepted by a a dizzying range of more than 300 businesses, from independent local traders to High Street names.
Adrian said: “Every pound spent on an Aberdeen Gift Card is spent in person in bricks and mortar businesses. That support local ethos has injected £7.5 million into the city’s economy and seen Aberdeen Gift Card named as the most successful of its kind in the UK for three years running.”
Shona Byrne, project manager for Aberdeen Inspired who oversees Aberdeen Gift Card, said the gift card is hugely popular with the public – and growing more so every year.
“It is the ideal gift for any occasion, be it a birthday, an anniversary, a thank you for a teacher, a reward for long service. With Christmas fast approaching, what better present can there be for a loved one than an Aberdeen Gift Card.
“It means whoever receives a gift card can choose to spend it on whatever they want in over 300 places. That could be a meal out, new clothes, a beauty treatment – even a night at the theatre or watching a game at Pittodrie.”
Colin Munro, CEO of Miconex, says the UK's Favourite Local Business Competition is a great way to back bricks and mortar business. Image - Miconex
Colin Munro, CEO of Miconex, said: “Our 2026 research showed that support for local businesses has never been higher, with 99% of people saying that more needs to be done to support them, and so we’re pleased to bring back Favourite Local Business this year.
“In 2024, this competition received over 4000 nominations for local businesses across a range of sectors and sizes. We’ll be celebrating businesses who are nominated so we can shine a light on the positive impact our local shops, restaurants, hotels, attractions, salons and services have on our economy, and on the vibrancy of our local communities.”
Enter the UK’s Favourite Local Business competition free at Aberdeen Gift Card website.
The competition closes on the 30th November 2026.
You can find out more about the Aberdeen Gift Card – including corporate sales – at the Aberdeen Inspired website.