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Lewisham Business Awards: Broadway Theatre, 21 October

Audience seated in a formal gala hall for an awards ceremony and dinner.

Lewisham’s independent businesses, cafés, restaurants, traders and creative organisations will take centre stage at the Mayor of Lewisham Business Awards 2026 Ceremony on Wednesday 21 October. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the Broadway Theatre in Catford, London, bringing together the local business community and residents interested in the people behind the borough’s high streets and services.

Lewisham Council has not published a start time, ticket price or booking arrangements in the supplied announcement. Anyone considering attending should therefore wait for confirmed admission details before making plans.

Broadway Theatre will host the winners’ reveal

The ceremony is the final stage of an awards process that began with residents nominating their favourite businesses. More than 2,000 nominations were submitted despite a shortened nomination period, after which a judging panel selected the finalists.

The shortlist reflects businesses working in markedly different corners of Lewisham’s economy. It includes established high-street names, home-based enterprises, food traders, performance groups, childcare and family-support services, health providers and young companies founded in recent years.

Mayor of Lewisham Liam Shrivastava described local businesses as central to the borough’s economy and community life, pointing to the jobs they create and the role they play in bringing people together. Councillor Shireen Asaw, the cabinet member responsible for workers, business and skills, said the awards recognise organisations supporting high streets and making a difference in their communities.

Twelve categories capture the borough’s business mix

The programme covers 12 public-choice categories: Best Sustainable Business, Best Online Business, Best Community Contribution, Best New Business, Best in the Creative Sector, Best High Street Business, Best Café, Best Restaurant, Best Bar or Pub, Best Hair and Beauty, Best Independent Business and Best Market Trader.

That range places neighbourhood institutions alongside newer operating models. The finalists include traditional bakeries and market stalls, online education services, repair specialists, restaurants, pubs, arts organisations, wellbeing providers and businesses focused on waste reduction or locally sourced food.

Several entrants also appear in more than one category. Sylva, for example, is shortlisted for both sustainable business and café honours, while The Working Mum’s Club features in the community contribution and new business lists. The Jerk Shac appears among the new business and restaurant finalists, reflecting how the categories recognise different aspects of the same operation.

Residents have until 2 October to make their choice

The judging panel decided the shortlist, but residents now determine the winners across the 12 categories. This gives customers a direct role in recognising businesses they use, community organisations they know and traders whose work may otherwise receive little public attention.

Voting closes at 9am on Friday 2 October 2026. The results will then remain under wraps until the ceremony at Catford’s Broadway Theatre on Wednesday 21 October.

Source: Lewisham Council

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