The finalists for The Blend Awards 2026 have been officially revealed, with some of the UK’s leading independent workshops and garage professionals now in the running for top honours.
The winners will be announced on stage during the evening awards ceremony at The Blend 2026 on Saturday, 10 October, at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, where independent garage owners and industry leaders from across the UK and Ireland will come together to celebrate the people and businesses raising standards across the sector.
The ceremony follows a packed daytime conference focused on practical, peer-to-peer learning and workshop development.
The Blend’s flagship Garage of the Year award is split into three categories: Garages with 1–4 Staff, Garages with 5+ Staff and Multi-location Garages. Meanwhile, the Staff Recognition Award celebrates the individuals working behind the scenes to make their garages successful, recognising the dedication, technical expertise and positive influence of those making a difference in their workshops every day.
The finalists were selected following judging by an independent panel comprising Hayley Pells of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), Grahame Pells industry author and owner of G P Fabrications, aftermarket journalist Mike Ruff and Mark Field, Chief Executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF).
“The entries that stood out for me were those that demonstrated something above the baseline expectations of garage ownership and management,” said Hayley. “This included genuine innovation, measurable social impact, exceptional investment in people, meaningful community engagement, or evidence of going beyond regulatory and commercial requirements to create lasting value.
“In short, I was looking for examples that answered the question: ‘What makes this business exceptional, rather than simply well run?’”
“What really stood out was the breadth of achievement across the independent sector, from embracing new technology and pioneering EV solutions to investing in people, supporting local communities and improving the customer experience,” said Mike. “The strongest entries weren’t just good at telling their story. They backed it up with real examples of what they’re doing day in, day out. Huge credit to every finalist for making it this far.”
With just weeks to go, The Blend 2026 is shaping up to be a major date in the independent garage calendar, combining business insight, networking and celebration under one roof.
The daytime conference will feature multi-track presentations from garage owners and industry leaders, covering practical strategies around efficiency, profitability and leadership, alongside an extensive trade exhibition.
The Blend is open to all independent garages across the UK and Ireland, regardless of which garage management system they use.
With the finalists now confirmed and the countdown to Birmingham well underway, tickets are available until midnight on Friday 25 September for the daytime conference and evening awards dinner.
Tickets are available at www.theblend.events/tickets.
The Blend 2026 finalists:
Garage of the Year (1–4 Staff)
• Womanic
• Intelligent Auto
Garage of the Year (5+ Staff)
• Cleevely Motors
• Carmaster Garage
• Aldershot MOT Centre
Garage of the Year (Multi-location)
• VMB Autocentres
• Shaws Service Station
• Castle Garage Ashby
Staff Recognition Award
• Salipa Mlwelwa – VMB Autocentres
• Lucy Butler – Marks Transport Group
• Lee Thompson – S & R Miller
