Thursday May 21st 2026
The ‘champion’ pub section was awarded to The Blackadder Bar and Restaurant in Greenlaw
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A quartet of businesses in the Borders emerged triumphant at Scotland’s ‘Rural Oscars’ this week.
The Scottish Countryside Alliance held its annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 20.
The Countryside Alliance Awards – now in their 19th year – recognise rural businesses across five categories, including ‘best local food’, ‘best butcher’, ‘best pub’, ‘best rural enterprise’, and ‘best village shop/ post office’.
These businesses go the extra mile within their communities, supporting the local economy and championing local goods and services.
Thousands of nominations from around the country were whittled down via a public vote, with the final few being honoured at the Scottish finalists’ awards ceremony at the National Museum of Scotland, in Edinburgh.
The awards were presented by Jake Swindells, director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance Ireland, and respected author, journalist and solicitor David McKie. The event was attended by a number of MSPs.
The winner of each category will go on to represent Scotland in the national champions reception at the House of Lords in July, competing against other finalists from Wales, Northern Ireland, and England.
The ‘best butcher’ category was won by Briggsy’s Quality Butchers in Jedburgh.
The ‘champion’ pub section was awarded to The Blackadder Bar and Restaurant in Greenlaw, with the Gordon Arms in Gordon also being ‘highly commended’.
And another ‘champion’ in the rural enterprise category was Fine Feathers, the quality hand-crafted brooches, hat pins and accessories business based in Oxnam.
Briggsy’s was hailed as a “superb example of modern rural butchery rooted in traditional skills and local values”.
The Blackadder was recognised “as a true heart of its local community, judges were impressed by its strong sense of belonging, with menus and drinks that showcase local produce and reflect the character of its surrounding area”.
Meanwhile, the award for Fine Feathers recognised its role as a growing rural asset with clear long-term value for community, jobs and the wider countryside economy.
Jake Swindells said: “The Countryside Alliance Awards were created to recognise the people and businesses that are vital to rural life, those whose contribution often goes above and beyond and deserves to be properly celebrated.
“What makes these awards particularly meaningful is that every finalist has been nominated by their own community. The finalists are here because people took the time to say that what they do matters, and that is something to be very proud of.
“So tonight, we recognise their dedication, their commitment, and the role they play in supporting rural communities across Scotland.”
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