Independent garages across the UK and Ireland have less than a week left to enter The Blend Awards 2026, with nominations closing at 23:59 on Tuesday, 4 August.
Returning on Saturday, 10 October 2026, at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, The Blend Awards will once again form the evening highlight of the annual independent garage conference and networking event.
This year’s evening ceremony will feature a special double-host line-up, with internationally acclaimed marketing executive, author, and behavioural science expert Rory Sutherland hosting the evening dinner, while community favourite Nikki Cowan of Cartopia will present the awards and celebrate the achievements of this year’s finalists.
The awards recognise achievements across the sector, with categories celebrating smaller workshops delivering outstanding service, larger garages driving growth and efficiency, multi-site businesses demonstrating strong leadership and consistency, and individuals who go above and beyond for their teams and customers.
Organisers are making a final call for entries across all categories, with a particular focus on encouraging smaller workshops and growing multi-site businesses to showcase their achievements.
“The independent garage community is full of brilliant, hardworking people who don’t always take the time to recognise what they’ve achieved,” said Ray Dilsons, Event Director at The Blend. “Whether you run a small team of two or three technicians or operate across multiple sites, these awards are designed to give every ambitious garage a platform.
“Entering takes minimal time, costs nothing, and gives your business and team national recognition. With the deadline only days away, we’re encouraging everyone to get their entries in before Tuesday night.”
Entries will be assessed by an independent panel of industry experts, including returning judges Hayley Pells of the Institute of the Motor Industry, industry journalist Mike Ruff, and Mark Field, Chief Executive of the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF).
Judging will be based solely on the information provided within each application, ensuring every garage has the opportunity to demonstrate the achievements, improvements, and successes that set them apart.
Finalists will be announced on Friday, 11 September, before the winners are revealed during the evening event on Saturday, 10 October.
Free to enter and open to all independent garages across the UK and Ireland, regardless of which garage management system they use, submissions can be made before the deadline via https://www.theblend.events.
