Over 300 smartly-dressed guests turned out for the Stray Ferret Business Awards 2025 to celebrate business excellence in Harrogate – and to discover who would be this year’s winners.

The glittering black-tie event was held at The Pavilions of Harrogate.

Winner: IDR Law
Highly Commended: CLOUD NINE

Tamsin O’Brien, owner of the Stray Ferret hosted the event which included a champagne reception, a three-course dinner, a silent raffle organised by Impulse Decisions in aid of St Michael's Hospice, and dancing till midnight. DJ Mark Green provided the soundtrack.

The awards were presented by BBC Look North newsreader Clare Frisby, who referred to them as a "showcase of everything that’s good about Harrogate".

She said:
These awards are important, because if you don’t celebrate excellence – if you don’t point it out and put the spotlight on it – nobody knows about it.

And it’s so important to reward people who do well, people who try, people who think outside the box. That’s what we need in business in the Harrogate district.

Tony from Xi Comms said “Well done IDR Law and all those winners”. Use of Digital is an opportunity for virtually every business now. It’s good to see how innovative some small businesses can be”.