In a ‘Doff of the hat’ to Historic England’s iconic Blue Plaques, Allica Bank is introducing The Orange Hat Plaques to recognise the overlooked established businesses that have made a lasting contribution to their communities, industries and local economies.
Established businesses, those with between 5 and 250 employees, are the backbone of the UK economy and make up 35% of the private sector workforce, according to an Oxford Economics Report released in June. From family manufacturers and local care providers to sports clubs, schools, pubs and food producers, established businesses create jobs, support local supply chains and provide services communities rely on every day. In fact, once you travel further than 25 miles from a metropolitan centre, these businesses support around half of local jobs. Yet despite their significance, they rarely receive the recognition they deserve.
To recognise those contributions, The Orange Hat Plaques have been created to shine a spotlight on those businesses that deserve to be celebrated. The businesses have been recognised not simply for their financial success, but for what they mean to the places and people around them.
Each established business – nominated by their Allica Bank relationship manager for their outstanding contributions – will receive an Orange Hat Plaque as a physical mark of recognition for the role they play in supporting local communities, creating jobs and driving regional growth.
Conrad Ford, Chief Product & Strategy Officer at Allica Bank, said:
“Britain has historically been good at celebrating the people and places that shaped our culture. We think it’s time we also celebrated the established businesses that continue to shape our communities every day.
“These businesses create jobs, train apprentices, support local charities, give people somewhere to come together, keep our high streets alive and provide services that communities depend on. They become part of the identity of the places they call home, yet too often their contribution goes unrecognised.
“The Orange Hat Plaques are our way of shining a light on some of those remarkable businesses. Every Orange Hat Plaque tells a different story, but they all recognise the incredible established businesses that Allica has been built to support.”
Eleven businesses from across Britain will receive Orange Hat Plaques during the inaugural campaign over the summer of 2026.
