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WELCOME On the evening of Thursday July 9th, over two hundred people gathered at Bannatyne's Spa Hotel in Hastings to discover the winners of this year's 1066 Business Awards. • Click here for a list of the winners and runners-up • Click here to see a slideshow of photos taken on the evening They came together to enjoy an event which is now in its seventh year - and each year, goes from strength to strength. Celebrating the achievements of businesses large and small, from start-ups to long-established local employers, entries for the hotly-contested event categories were up by 25% on last year and consequently, competition was keener than ever. Organised by the Hastings Observer, the event was all about business...but this didn't detract from the relaxing and convivial atmosphere which helped to make this an unforgettable evening. A marquee in the grounds of Bannatyne's Hotel was the location for the event. Guests made their way beneath leaden skies to this richly and lavishly decorated venue, its ceiling dotted with tiny lights. After a welcoming cocktail and a delicious dinner, the audience was entertained by Emma Burnett, whose operatic rendition of 'I could have danced all night' set the mood for the celebration ahead. For the seventh year in succession, the event was sponsored by HSBC. Having given their backing to this event from the very beginning, HSBC has seen the1066 Business Awards grow to become one of the main highlights of the annual business calendar. While HSBC was the overall sponsor of the event, each category of award was generously - and individually - sponsored by a local company or organisation working in support of local business. Category sponsors were: Heringtons, Hastings Chamber of Commerce, Priory Meadow, Bannatyne's Spa Hotel, Hastings Borough Council & 1066 Country, Millbrook Design & Print, Stevens Rowsell, the Let's Do Business Group, CharDan Cakes, Hastings Furniture Service, Southern Water and Identity Signage & Printing. The stage was set, the backdrop designed and the ceremony presented visually by Identity Print and Signage. In the presence of the Mayor of Hastings, Councillor Kim Forward , Mayor of Hastings and Amber Rudd, MP for Hastings , TV personality Fred Dinenage presented the awards to outstanding companies, teams and individuals from a wide range of business backgrounds. The event was enhanced by a lively speech from Keith Ridley, Editor in Chief of the Eastbourne Herald and Observer Group of Newspapers. He was joined on stage by Faiza Shafeek, Organiser of the 1066 Business Awards. On behalf of herself and her team, Faiza expressed her delight at the success of the event and the exceptionally high standard of entries this year. During the evening, a raffle on behalf of Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice raised over £1,000 - a sum which grew further when, at the end of the ceremony, elegant table designs kindly supplied by 1066 Award-winning florist Fleur de Lyn were also raffled. Bannatyne's hard-working waiting staff cleared the tables and moved them back. Adey's Disco pumped up the volume...and with the end of the formalities, winners and guests got down to the serious business of dancing. If you would like to find out more, or discuss the benefits for your business in more detail, please contact Faiza Shafeek by telephoning: 01323 414493 or email: faiza.shafeek@jpress.co.uk |
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