Established in 1984 by Juliet Harbutt to raise the profile of British Cheese and create a recognised symbol of excellence for all British cheese. At the same time British Cheese Week – a nationwide campaign – was created to follow the announcement of the winners each year at the Awards Dinner. These events have become a highly successful marketing campaign for British cheeses, cheesemakers and cheese retailers.
The Bath and West show is home to The British cheese awards which comprises of 67 categories. Visitors and judges enjoy an incredible diversity of cheese from dairy producers who enter the competition, not only from the UK, but all over the world. The awards feature the highly competitive cheese and dairy produce classes which attract over 700 entries and are judged by a panel of specially selected guest judges.
The following awards were won in 2019:
- Best English Cheese – Blue Stilton, Long Clawson Dairy
- Best Blue Cheese – Blue Stilton, Long Clawson Dairy
- Best PDO/PGI Cheese – Blue Stilton, Long Clawson Dairy
- Best Whole Blue Stilton Cheese – Blue Stilton, Long Clawson Dairy
- Bronze – Rutland Red – Red Leicester Category
- Bronze – Blue Stilton – Stilton cut-in-half category
- Bronze – Shropshire Blue – Shropshire Blue cut-in-half category
- Silver – Long Clawson Dairy, M&S Cornish Cove with Diablo Chilli
- Bronze – Long Clawson Dairy, M&S White Stilton with Apricot
The following awards were won in 2017:
- Gold – White Stilton
- Silver – Mature Blue Stilton
- Silver – Shropshire Blue
- Bronze – Blue Stilton
- Bronze – Blue Stilton
- Bronze – White Stilton with Cranberries
The following awards were won in 2016:
- Blue Stilton half – Gold for Blue Stilton
- Traditional Red Leicester – Silver for Aged Leicestershire Red
- Blue Stilton Whole – Silver for Blue Stilton
- Blue Shropshire Whole – Silver for Blue Shropshire
- Savoury Flavour Added Cheese; Savoury – Silver for Charnwood
- Sweet Flavour Added Cheese; Sweet – Bronze for Carnival
The following awards were won in 2015:
- Red Leicester Traditional – Gold for Aged Leicestershire Red
- Blue Cows milk cheese (6-12 weeks) – Gold for Smooth Blue
- Retail Blues Modern – Gold for Claxstone Smooth Blue
- Shropshire Blue – Silver for Blue Shropshire
- Blended, Savoury/Smoked – Bronze for Cornish Cove with Diabolo Chilli
- Blue Stilton Export – Bronze for Blue Stilton
The following awards were won in 2014:
- Traditional Red Leicester Category – Gold for Aged Leicestershire Red
- Modern Blue Category – Silver for Smooth Blue
- Packaging Category – Silver for Smooth Blue
- Stilton PDO Category – Bronze for Blue Stilton
The following awards were won in 2013:
- Best PDO Cheese, The David Reed Trophy – Blue Stilton
- Stilton PDO Category – Gold for Blue Stilton
- Export Territorial Category – Gold for Aged Leicestershire Red
- Export Blue Cheese Category – Gold for Smooth Blue
- Shropshire Blue Category – Silver for Shropshire Blue
- Red Leicester Category – Silver for Aged Leicestershire Red
- Hard Pressed Cheese Category – Bronze for Aged Leicestershire Red
- Bronze for Blue Shropshire