THE owner of a café and crafting centre in Abergele has made the list of finalists for a UK-wide award.

Tracey Hargreaves-Jones, who opened “The Sugar Den” in September 2017 on Market Street, is one of 15 women to have been shortlist for “business woman of the year” at the SME National Business Awards 2022.

She will discover if she has won the accolade when an awards ceremony takes place at Wembley Stadium on Friday, December 2.

The Sugar Den is a café for everyone, plus craft venue which is family-focussed, and a place for children’s parties.

It specialises in desserts such as crepes and waffles, ice-creams, and 50 different milkshakes.

Children can paint pots, make slime, build a bear, create sand art, and make clay.

Tracey said: “It’s always lovely to be nominated for awards.

“I’m extremely grateful, as I have put my heart and soul into the business, and I’m extremely happy and overjoyed to be nominated and to become a finalist for such a prestigious award ceremony.

“I’m delighted at what we have achieved as a team, and that it is being recognised on a national scale across the UK.”

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Tracey is hoping to attend the awards ceremony in person with her husband, Russell, who is also a director of the business.

Previously, The Sugar Den was named Conwy business of the year in 2019, and was a finalist for best new business in the same year, for small business in Wales with the Federation of Small Businesses.

During COVID-19, Tracey relocated five doors down to larger premises, and her business has continued to thrive.

She added: “Last year we opened another shop next door, called “The Den”, which is a sweet and gift shop, and we are just launching our new ecommerce website for this today (November 11) so it can go UK-wide.

“Sugar Den has also, over the past 12 months, become available to invest in as a franchise, so we are hoping to have ‘Sugar Dens’ pop up across the UK over the next few years.

“Our slogan is: ‘We count the memories, not the calories’, and I believe that really speaks volumes about our business, as we are about putting smiles on people’s faces and having fun.”