THE owners of a contemporary art gallery will find out on Saturday if they have won a national award.

Platinum Galleries, which has outlets in Northallerton and Middlesbrough, has been nominated in the art retailer of the year category in the Fine Art Trade Guild's 2007 awards.

Owners Andy and Maureen Close will travel to the ceremony at the Shaw Theatre in Euston, London.

The couple, from Stockton, set up their main gallery in South Parade, Northallerton, two years ago after giving up jobs working with special needs children in County Durham.

They set up a base in Psyche department store, in Middlesbrough, a short time later.

Platinum Galleries is shortlisted alongside four other galleries for the award.

Mr Close said: "We have worked hard enough to win and we have got a fantastic customer base."

Mrs Close said: "It would be lovely to win, and we are going to be a bit disappointed if we don't, but it is great just to be on that shortlist."

The gallery sells work from the likes of Doug Hyde, the UK's best selling artist, and Argentinean painter Fabian Perez. Both have made appearances at the gallery to promote their work.