Bright and booming businesses and their star performers from across Bedfordshire got a well-earned pat on the back at the county's annual Oscar night for the people who keep our economy on the right track.
Former England rugby captain Bill Beaumont, himself a successful industrialist as well as a media figure since quitting the game, was on hand to present the awards in 10 categories at the Bedfordshire and Luton Business Excellence Awards.
He told his audience at Bedford's Park Inn that success in business depended, like success in team sports, on 95 per cent hard work and planning, and five per cent luck.
For the first time judges for the annual awards – organised by Premier Newspapers, the Bedfordshire and Luton Learning and Skills Council, the Bedfordshire and Luton Economic Development Partnership and Chamber Business – found it impossible to separate worthy nominees in two categories, naming joint winners.
Taking the coveted Company of The Year title in a strong field were timber-framed construction specialists Potton Limited..
Cranfield-based software experts Parallel Ltd were named best small/medium business of the year, while pioneering therapy providers at the Flitwick-based Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre took the new business of the year award.
To view a full gallery of pictures from the night, click here The award winners in full:
COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Potton Limited
Highly commended: Landers Accountants
BUSINESS TRAINING AWARD
Joint winners
Easyjet Airline Company Ltd
The Joseph's Experience
SMALL/MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Parallel Ltd
Highly commended: Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre
YOUNG EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Suzanne Lancaster (Pasque charity shop, Stopsley)
Highly commended: Louise Shuel (Premier Travel Inns)
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Rachael Mabbott (Keens Shay Keens accountants)
Hghly commended: Sheelagh Bourke (Premier Travel Inns)
CHAMPIONING THE POWER OF LEARNING AWARD
Tizz Hair & Beauty, Dunstable
Highly commended: Bedford Training Assessment Centre
ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS AWARD
Joint winners
Bedfordia Bio Energy
Bedfordshire Green Business Network
BEST USE OF E-COMMERCE
Bodyflight
BUSINESS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Nigel and Sue Anstead (The White Horse, Bedford)
NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre
Highly commended: Tranquility, Dunstable.
To view a full gallery of pictures from the night, click here A two-page feature of pictures from the night will also be published in the Luton News, Dunstable Gazette, Herald & Post, Times & Citizen and Biggleswade Chronicle editions in the week ending November 10.
