Finalists for Great British Cheese Awards 2017 announced

The finalists for the Great British Cheese Awards has been revealed.

The awards, established to recognise, promote and reward excellence in the artisan cheese industry, celebrate the best of British cheese produced and distributed by independent cheese makers and retailers.

A panel judges who included Chef Brian Turner, Chantelle Nicholson, group operations director for Marcus Wareing Restaurants and head chef at Tredwells by Marcus Wareing and Galton Blackiston, chef-patron of Morston Hall, together with food bloggers and writers, judged 30 cheeses.

Shortlisted retailers and producers include Neal's Yard Dairy, Lynher Dairies Cheese Co, Shepherds Purse and Cornish Cheese Co.

The Great British Cheese Awards stand apart from similar events as the general public have a large influence on recognising and rewarding outstanding British cheese. More than 9,000 people voted for their favourite cheeses, producers and retailers and only those who received the most votes in each category have been shortlisted for an award.

The overall category winners will be announced on 11 October at an awards ceremony to be held at The Gilbert Scott, an elegant British restaurant and bar by Marcus Wareing's team which is set within The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London.

THE FINALISTS

Best Speciality Cheese Retailer
George & Joseph Cheesemongers, Leeds
Neal's Yard Dairy
The Cheese Hamlet, Didsbury, South Manchester
The Bristol Cheesemonger, Bristol
Country Cheeses, Topsham, Devon
The Courtyard Dairy, Austwick, Nr. Settle, North Yorkshire

Best Artisan Cheese Producer
Northumberland Cheese Company, Blagdon, Northumberland
Cote Hill Cheese, Market Rasen Lincolnshire
Fen Farm Dairy, Bungay, Suffolk
Teesdale Cheesemakers, Barnard Castle, County Durham
Errington Cheese, Lanark, South Lanarkshire
Marlow Cheese Company, Buckinghamshire

Best Hard Cheese
Cornish Yarg, Lynher Dairies Cheese Co, Truro, West Cornwall
Cornish Jack, River Amble Creamery, Port Isaac, Cornwall
Lincolnshire Poacher, Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese
Hafod Cheddar, Northumberland Cheese Company

Best Blue Cheese
Beenleigh Blue, Tickelmore Cheese
Lanark Blue, Shepherds Purse
Yorkshire Blue, Shepherds Purse
Cornish Blue, Cornish Cheese Co. Liskeard, Cornwall
Leeds Blue, Olianas
Barkham Blue, Two Hoots Cheese

Best Soft Cheese
Godminster Brie, Godminster Cheese
Renegade Monk, Feltham's Farm, Somerset
Connage Clava Brie, Connage Highland Dairy, Ardersier, Inverness
Perl Wen, Caws Cenarth Cheese, Carmarthenshire
Tunworth, Hampshire Cheeses
Wigmore, Village Maid, Reading

People's Choice
Cornish Blue, Cornish Cheese Co. Liskeard, Cornwall
Cornish Yarg, Lynher Dairies Cheese Co, Truro, West Cornwall
Godminster Organic Brie, Godminster, Bruton, Somerset

Best New Cheese Producer
St Bartholomew & Bix, Nettlebed Creamery, Oxfordshire
Stanage Millstone, Cow Close Farm, Hope Valley, Sheffield
Fellstone, Whin Yeats Dairy farm, Near Carnforth, Cumbria
Young Buck, Mike's Fancy Cheese, Newtownards, County Down
Sinodun Hill, Norton and Yarrow Cheese, Oxfordshire