Muddy Stilettos: Romsey businesses named the best in England

Woman’s lifestyle publisher, Muddy Stilettos, revealed its overall winners across 28 counties, with Romsey independents Lemon and Jinja and 108 The Bakery claiming two of the 27 categories.

Following on from the regional competition, as voted for by ‘Muddy’ readers, Muddy editors and editor-in-chief, Hero Brown selected one winner from each category for the national titles.

108 The Bakery, which moved from Basepoint in Abbey Park industrial estate to Latimer Walk in October, won the competitive category of ‘best local food and drink producer’.

The team was unable to make it to the awards ceremony last month, with the early morning starts in the bakery making late-night parties quite difficult.

READ MORE: Muddy Stilettos: Romsey and Winchester businesses win Hampshire awards

Manager Mollie Knight said: “It was incredible to find out we’d won and quite unexpected. We’re such a small bakery, focussed on local produce, so to win at a national level was phenomenal.

“It’s been crazy in the new central location in Romsey. It’s so different from before as now we have a shop area and open space where customers can see in. It’s amazing.

“We came second in the regionals last year so this was our first win. The team was so excited to hear we’d won nationally that we didn’t do any work for the rest of the day.

“Our category was so broad, there were brownie and gin businesses and even a stock, like chicken stock, company so we had no idea how they’d decide. It makes it the achievement mean even more to us.”

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Jessie Roe, Jesse Dugdale and Sophie Roe from Lemon and Jinja (Image: Sophie Roe)

Zero waste refill store and café, Lemon and Jinja, has won ‘best sustainable lifestyle business’ in Hampshire for two consecutive years but did one better this summer to beat the rest of the country.

Lemon and Jinja manager Sophie Roe said: “We are so excited and absolutely thrilled to have won this award. Having won the regional award and then making it to the top five in the country was incredible, so to hear we were announced the National winners today was just the cherry on top - it's an absolute credit to the hard work we all put into Lemon and Jinja and the community. 

“A huge congratulations to our fellow national winners in Romsey, 108 The Bakery.”

Following its move from Basepoint to Belbins Business Park in Cupernham Lane, earlier this year, the eco store has been busy hosting more events like clothes swaps, workshops and summer Sundays at its new larger home.

To view the rest of the Muddy winners go to muddystilettos.co.uk/awards/national-results/.