The Hinckley Business Association held its very first Business Awards ceremony last night with a packed room of local business and Council representatives at Sketchley Grange Hotel, Burbage, Hinckley.  A whole range of local businesses had competed for the honour of winning one of the five categories with the chance to win an award for new business of the year, customer focus, employer, business innovation and customer support.  In addition, as a category winner, each business then had a chance to be put forward for the overall prestigious accolade of the Hinckley Business Association’s Business of the Year Award.

The evening was opened by Keith London of Advanced Carbide Tooling and Chair of the Hinckley Business Association, who applauded all the local businesses that entered for the awards.  Keith London said, “The real success at the awards came from competing and the pure act of recognising their own businesses strengths and values and not just in winning the awards themselves”.

The awards ceremony was smoothly managed by the compares for the evening, BBC Radio Leicester celebrities and representatives of the charitable organisation APPLAUSE - Monica Winfield and Dave Andrews, a talented duo who skilfully introduced the award finalists and created a seamless flow to the whole evening.  As ever, the Sketchley Grange Hotel team worked tirelessly in the background to ensure that the delicious three-course meal was served efficiently and that all the needs of the guests were met.  The whole spirit, enjoyment and celebrations of the evening were captured by local photographer Lesley Bee of Artography, Hinckley.

There were in total twelve Hinckley Business Association business award finalists, these were Bar Vis-à-Vis, David Rowe Drum School, Harrington Robertson Hairdressers, Checkprint, Cornerstone Supported Living, Simtom Food Products, Twycross Zoo, Custom Enterprises Accountants, Arrow Precision Engineering, HR4UK.com, Savage Marine and Hinckley and Rugby Building Society.  The Hinckley Business Association Awards category winners were:

New Business Award – Harrington Robertson Hairdressers (see below).

Customer Focus Award – Twycross Zoo.

Employer Award – Checkprint Ltd.

Business Innovation Award – Savage Marine Ltd.

Community Support Award – Hinckley & Rugby Building Society.

The overall Hinckley Business Association Award for Business of the Year went to the Business Innovation award winner – Savage Marine Ltd.

Congratulations of course go to all the businesses that competed for the awards and especially to the finalists and winners. But also, congratulations must go to the Hinckley Business Association and the event co-ordinator Headstorm for an excellent evening that was well run and received and that had a tremendous atmosphere with a feeling of both anticipation and achievement!  Well done to all.

If you would like to know more about the Hinckley Business Association then do visit their website at www.hinckleybusiness.co.uk or contact us at thebestofhinckley on 01455 246 342.

Yes, that is me on the far left of the picture below and no I am not a part time hairdresser!  Quite simply it was my privilege to present the Hinckley Business Association's Award for best New Business 2009 to Jackie and Jo from Harrington Robertson of Earl Shilton.