Lancashire Best Kept Village Competition

Participating Villages

The 2025 Competition is now under way with 48 Lancashire villages taking part across six categories. It is good to see the Urban Community section growing.

There are 'Best Kept Village Competitions' across the country, the Lancashire competition has been going for over 60 years. Villages enter for a variety of reasons bringing people together with a common aim: such as to promote pride in the village, to deter vandalism, graffiti and anti-social behaviour, to help different organisations to work together for the common good, to encourage young people to take part in different activities and connect with the village (planting, weeding, litter picking…) and generally to make their village a better place to live.

After the hiatus of 2020, due to Government Covid-19 pandemic measures, the competition returned in 2021. In 2023 there were 47 entrants. In 2023 the competition rules and organisation was reviewed with volunteer judges attending training sessions; the competiton saw a new category - 'Tidy Town' - being piloted. In 2024, 45 villages took part, and following the 'Tidy Towns' pilot in 2023, the new 'Urban Community' class was created, this allows larger towns to participate by nominating small areas within for consideration for this new award.

Competition Villages 2025

There are 48 entrants this year.
Key: R2 Villages making Second Round judging / F Finalist / F* Winner.

'Final Judging'

Villages making the Final for judging by DAVID E. CAM DL BA Barrister Under Sheriff of Lancashire on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th August with Winners announced Monday 13th October at the Presentation Event at Eaves Hall, West Bradford. Results will be given at the event and shared with everyone in the competition the following day.

This year the Presentation invites and tickets, and sending out of Results and Reports will be done by Kelly Wood please address queries to: lbkvinfo@gmail.com

Champion Class
Bretherton and Elswick

Large Village Class
Grimsargh and New Longton

Medium Village Class
Newburgh and Weeton

Small Village Class
Hurst Green and West Bradford

Hamlet Class
Inglewhite and Little Eccleston

Urban Community
Cummeragh and Whalley

Villages that made it into Second Round Judging

We have had a really good Competition this summer and have welcomed some new Villages/Communities to the competition. Some of the categories have been very tight. Congratulations and Good Luck to these villages.

◆ Champion - Blacko, Bretherton, Elswick, Grindleton
◆ Large - Grimsargh, New Longton, Parbold
◆ Medium - Bilsborrow, Newburgh, Weeton
◆ Small - Heapey, Hurst Green, Mere Brow, Roughlee, West Bradford
◆ Hamlet - Inglewhite, Little Eccleston, Sabden Fold
◆ Urban Community - Cumeragh, Whalley, Whittle-le-Woods

Competition Stages

First round of judging takes place between Friday 6th and Friday 25th July. Villages through to Second Round are notified by the Competition Secretary by the end of July.

Second round judging during takes place between Saturday 9th and Monday 18th August. Finalists notified by 20th August.

Final judging - two from each category - takes place Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th August.

The Presentation Event where 'Champion Villages' and 'Outstanding Features' awards are announced takes place at Eaves Hall, West Bradford Monday 13th October (1:30pm for 2:00pm).

Full Results are circulated and published online immediately after the Presentation Event.

For reference here are the participating villages from the previous year (2024) and the 2024 Results.