Annual awards honour excellence

Nearly 200 people were at Salisbury Arts Centre last Thursday to see the cream of south Wiltshire business community honoured for its achievements.

The South Wiltshire Business Awards, now in their seventh year, attracted a record number of entries and a record attendance.

Taking away the top honours were businesses from Salisbury, Wilton and Downton, employing between ten and 40 staff.

Retailer of the Year was Neal's Yard Remedies of Salisbury, the Training Excellence award went to Independent Living Solutions of Wilton and the New Business trophy was awarded to InSitu care of Salisbury.

The best business with a turnover of less than £500,000 was accountants Hugh Davies & Co, and Revive Vending of Downton was judged the best business with a turnover of more than £500,000.

The winners won a £2,000 training package from TABS Training, £1,000 worth of advertising on Spire FM, a certificate, glass trophy and bottle of champagne. The runners up took away a certificate and bottle of champagne.

Award sponsors were the Old George Mall, TABS Training, the Federation of Small Businesses, Business Link, Solstice Park, Design Types and Spire FM.

Spire FM also organised and ran the competition.

Station manager Ceri Hurford-Jones was delighted with the response to it.

"As a local business ourselves, we positively encourage local competitiveness and the achievement of excellence within our own organisation," he says.

"To be able to offer £15,000 worth of prizes this year was fantastic and we congratulate all the entrants on the very high standards shown.

"In our opinion, every single business is a winner."

"The quality this year was the best we have had in the seven years we have been doing these awards - it's all about promoting business excellence and celebrating the best of the best."

Guest speaker was Marion Parker-Mortimer, western regional chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses.

Mrs Parker-Mortimer, who has run a number of businesses since 1972, said the entries showed the "huge diversity of services the small businesses provide".

"It's not easy running a business," she said, "There is the ever-increasing legislation, staffing problems, maternity and paternity leave, holiday and Statutory Sick Pay. It's incredible there are so many still hanging in there! Napoleon called us a nation of shopkeepers, but we are so much more than that. Our determination as a nation is wonderful."

ENDS

From the Salisbury Journal

Date of issue: 13 July 2006