Walsh Funerals and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre among winners after 2,800 votes cast

Twelve businesses have been named as the latest cohort of “Bostin’ Black Country companies” following a public competition that drew almost 2,800 votes.

Walsh Funerals & Memorials, an all-female run funeral provider, joined Brierley Hill design agency Eighty3Design and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre among the headline winners. 

They were joined by Black Country Women’s Aid, The Mount Hotel Golf and Country Club, Coinadrink and children’s play and creative space Pippatopia.

The public vote was combined with input from the Black Country Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors to reduce 18 nominations to a final 12.

‘The people make it Bostin’

Sarah Moorhouse, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “We knew the Bostin’ campaign had captured the imagination, but I don’t think any of us thought we would receive such widespread public reaction. To receive nearly 2,800 votes in a campaign that ran for just two weeks is brilliant.”

She added: “What was really telling is when we asked them all what made the Black Country Bostin’, they came back with ‘the people’.”

Lucy Rook, managing director of BlackRook Academy, said: “There’s a beautiful self-deprecating humour about people from the Black Country that’s part of our underlying charm. However, this sometimes means we don’t promote our achievements. We want to change that.”

The chamber plans to grow the initiative to 50 members over the next six months.