Today’s episode of our Business Live discussion programme covered the challenges of running seasonal businesses and the Sheffield Business Awards – as well as references to Sheffield’s high street parking schemes and the launch of the new Moor Market (you can listen to an interview with traders and shoppers here).

Presenter Jamie Veitch was joined live in the studio by Neil Grant, the managing director of Ferndale Garden Centre at Coal Aston; Tom Lindop, an account manager at the Sheffield Chamber; and Janet Skirrow, chief executive of local social enterprise Zest.

Neil talked about how Ferndale has successfully adapted to the changing needs of its customers; the trials and tribulations of running a seasonal – and family-owned – business; generating footfall; and even guerilla gardening, and how growing vegetables is accessible to all.

Tom gave us the lowdown on all of the benefits to businesses of entering and being recognised by being shortlisted in the Sheffield Business Awards – winners will be announced this Thursday evening.

And Janet, of local social enterprise and development trust Zest (which has been shortlisted in the Community Investment category of the Awards) talkaked about how being shortlisted has already proved really beneficial to Zest, a 15-year-old Sheffield business and development trust which has successfully moved from grant dependency to earning and generating income and winning contracts to deliver its health and wellbeing services.

You can listen to the podcast (and even download it) here.

More about the Business Live series of programmes here.