Appetite Wins High Street Impact Award

Heather Dowler - Appetite General Manager, Sally Malkin - Producer, and Emily Labhart - Appetite Director, receive the award on stage at the ceremony.

🏆 We are thrilled to announce that Appetite is the winner of the High Street Impact Award at the University of Staffordshire Business Awards 2026 🥳

We're incredibly proud to have more than 13 years of work bringing people together through culture in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme recognised in this way.

Through The Big Feast, Light Up Winter, Newcastle Common and much more, we've seen the role culture can play in bringing life to our town and city centres, attracting visitors, supporting the local economy and helping people feel proud of their place.

But while this award celebrates Appetite's impact on our high streets, we also want to celebrate the impact that communities of Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme have had on us. They've shaped Appetite from the very beginning - challenging us, inspiring us and making decisions alongside us.

A huge thank you to our brilliant team, past and present; our Community Decision Makers and volunteers; our artists and freelancers; our lead organisation, New Vic Theatre; our consortium, funders, partners and supporters - and, most importantly, everyone who has turned up, joined in and been part of Appetite over the last 13 years.

This one belongs to all of you.♥️

And congratulations to all our fellow nominees who do amazing work to breathe fresh life into city centres, helping people discover their town in a new way, and making them high streets more vibrant, welcoming and sustainable.