Bramblecrest, the leading premium garden furniture brand, is celebrating after being named Employer of the Year at the prestigious South West 250 Awards last week.

The region-wide awards run by Insider Media, the UK’s largest regional B2B media and news site, celebrate the top high-performing privately-owned businesses across a broad range of sectors within the South West. The awards programme recognises exceptional growth, business resilience, sustained commercial growth, regional impact and market leadership.

The highly coveted 'Employer of the Year' category, one of only six awards from the awards ceremony held in Bristol on Tuesday evening, shortlisted companies that place culture, employee wellbeing, and staff engagement at the heart of their operational success.

Johnny Sparkes, Director and Head of Product at Bramblecrest, comments on the momentous win: "We are incredibly proud to receive this award as Employer of the Year. It is a testament to the hard work, passion, and collaborative spirit of our entire team.  

“As we transition to an Employee Ownership Trust, the process has only supercharged our commitment to putting our people first. We have a shared vision and a culture where everyone has a voice in shaping our future. Our customers experience that commitment first-hand, working with a team personally invested in our success and empowered to make a real impact.

“To be recognised by such a prestigious regional business awards programme reinforces our belief that putting people first drives business success.”

The major business growth accolade follows Bramblecrest’s industry-wide recognition at SOLEX this summer where the brand also scooped the coveted SOLEX 2026 Best Furniture Product Award. This top honour was awarded for its innovative industry-first design of the Bramblecrest Bench.

Bramblecrest embarked on its transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) in 2023, believed to be a first within the outdoor furniture sector and marking a landmark chapter in the company’s development. The move underlines its commitment to putting people first, enabling employees to benefit from the business’s long-term success and play a central role in shaping its future.

Having celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, the British owned and designed Cotswold-based brand continues to grow and thrive, especially as a leader for the garden retail sector, spotlighting the sector amidst the fierce competition faced in the SW250 Awards such as the long-established Hunts Food Group and British cosmetics retailer Lush, in the same category.

As a long-standing champion of quality and innovation within the garden retail industry, Bramblecrest plans to carry this momentum into the upcoming season. The 2027 season will see new launches and extensions across established collections, while strengthening its position as a people‑focused business, investing in long‑term thinking, collaboration and product development.