LOCALiQ UK has secured the Hospitality Campaign of the Year prize at the UK Paid Media Awards 2026 for its promotional work with The Cut & Craft, an upscale independent steakhouse chain.

The initiative leveraged a unified approach combining search engine optimisation, pay-per-click advertising and digital public relations to convert online interest into reservations and ongoing expansion for The Cut & Craft’s venues in York, Leeds and Manchester.

The UK Paid Media Awards, organised by Don’t Panic Events and carrying an ‘Outstanding’ accreditation from the Independent Awards Standards Council’s Awards Trust Mark scheme, celebrates campaigns across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland that generate measurable commercial outcomes from paid media spending.

Established in York in 2018, The Cut & Craft has expanded into a three-location independent steak restaurant business, recognised for combining high-end steakhouse cuisine with contemporary, design-focused surroundings. LOCALiQ was tasked with supporting both day-to-day operations and growth into new areas, including the brand’s Manchester launch in 2025.

LOCALiQ’s methodology incorporated local search optimisation, paid advertising and digital public relations, with location-targeted activity for each establishment and emphasis on critical trading objectives, supported by consistent performance analysis and strategic consultations with the client.

Key performance outcomes included a 269 percent rise in website sessions, a 68 percent boost in click numbers and a 48 percent enhancement in clickthrough rates. The pay-per-click activity produced approximately 70 percent additional website traffic compared to the previous year and assisted in establishing the venues as preferred options for weekday lunch service.

Award judges characterised the submission as an authentically integrated campaign, commending its cross-channel collaboration and evidence-based methodology for testing and refinement.

LOCALiQ UK Managing Director Nick Ashwood expressed pride in the recognition received for the partnership with The Cut & Craft. He noted that the achievement demonstrates the potential when a quality hospitality brand receives support through an approach grounded in data and integrated across search and paid media. He added that close collaboration with the The Cut & Craft team enabled the transformation of digital interest into actual reservations and sustainable expansion, with anticipation for continued development together.

This achievement contributes to LOCALiQ’s expanding portfolio of accolades within the UK digital marketing sector, showcasing the agency’s capability in producing quantifiable outcomes from search optimisation and paid media for brands operating in competitive markets.