THE countdown is on to the Bolton and Bury Business Awards.
With just days to go, the judges have made their decisions and on Thursday the cream of businesses in Bolton and Bury will be crowned at the annual awards dinner at The Macron.
It will be a fantastic night for all our finalists with eleven categories ranging from Start Up Business of the Year, through to Young Person/Apprentice of the Year.
And there is a new category to celebrate the success of the past ten years of the awards — the Business of the Decade.
The entries have been extremely strong, giving the judges a hard task of choosing three shortlisted finalists in each section which are all featured in this supplement.
We also thank all our category sponsors for their support. The winners will be announced in front of hundreds of guests. The evening starts with a drinks reception, followed by a welcomed from headline sponsors, Bolton Council and the University of Bolton. As we look to encourage young businessmen and women of tomorrow, we will be hearing from apprentices from MBDA, the missile company which sponsored the Young Person/Apprentice award.
Norman Prince is our host and the charity raffle will be for Urban Outreach, Bolton, which looks after vulnerable adults and young people in the borough.
It also runs a special summer lunch scheme for children.
You can be sure of a great night out at the Bolton and Bury Business Awards — and who knows, you may go home with a top award.
The awards are one of the most prestigious events on the business calendar in the region and attracts hundreds of guests. Last year was a huge success with for Saeed Atcha (Explode Magazine) who was the delighted winner of the young person/apprentice of the year.
And there were scenes of jubilation at the Four Recruitment table when the Bolton company scooped the Family Business of the Year award.
There was a double celebration for Julie Robinson and her Alliance Learning Team when they took home two awards — the SME of the Year and Julie’s own personal accolade, the Business Person of the Year.
Last year MBDA apprentices Jade Aspinall and Anna Schlautmann told the audience about their experiences. Two more young people will be taking to the stage again this year.
The finalists (in no particular order)
Start Up Business of the Year
Sponsored by The Bolton News/Bury Times
Mugpods Ltd, Bolton
Qualitas Medical Services Ltd
Air Vault Trampoline Park, Bolton
Best Company for Apprenticeship Development
Sponsored by The Bolton News/Bury Times
Fieldings Porter solicitors
EAT (Employment and Training) Pennies Ltd
Seddon, Bolton
Young Person/Apprentice of the Year
Sponsored by MBDA
Ashley Harrison, Wilsons Autos
Victoria Stigwood, Bolton College
Neal Wareing, Kerax Ltd
We’re Backing Bolton/Bury
Sponsored by Bristol Street Motors
Bain Plumbing Services, Bolton
Bury College
Bolton Young Persons Housing Scheme
Family Business of the Year
Sponsored by Carrs Pasties
Taziker Industrial Ltd
Gresham Office Furniture, Bolton
Assembly Solutions Ltd, Bolton
Customer Excellence Award
Sponsored by The Chinese Buffet
Perfect Fit by Carol, Bury
Crompton Way Motors, Bolton
Carriages Hair and Beauty, Bury
SME of the Year
Sponsored by Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd
Bring Digital, Bolton
Four Recruitment, Bolton
Assembly Solutions Ltd, Bolton
Business Person of the Year
Sponsored by KBL Solicitors
James Bancroft, Exclusec Security Solutions Ltd
Hannah Broughton, Twinkleboost CIC
Lee Parker, Parker Sourcing Ltd
Retailer of the Year
Sponsored by The Market Place
Clarks, Bolton
Debenhams, Bolton
Business of the Year,
Sponsored by Stateside Foods
Taziker Industrial Ltd
Aptus Utilities Ltd, Bolton
Gresham Office Furniture, Bolton
Business of the Decade
Sponsored by The Bolton News/Bury Times
Taziker Industrial, Bolton
IDNS Supplies Ltd, Bolton
Holchem Laboratories Ltd, Bury
For the full lowdown on all the finalists, see today's The Bolton News or this week's Bury Times
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