London,
14
September
2010
|
23:00
Europe/London

Winners announced - Mayor of Hackney s Business Awards 2010

The borough’s leading entrepreneurs were celebrated last night (Tues 14 September) at a reception held for the winners and finalists of the Mayor of Hackney’s Business Awards 2010.

Now in their fifth year, the annual awards are dedicated to recognising and celebrating the excellence and diversity of businesses in the borough.

A team of highly prestigious judges from the world of business and media joined the Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, in presenting awards to the outstanding local entrepreneurs at Holborn Studios, who hosted the event and sponsored one of the categories.

Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney, said: “These awards are about celebrating excellence. They are also about recognising the outstanding contribution that local businesses make to Hackney’s economy. The entries for this year’s awards showed again the amazing diversity in the borough’s business sector and I congratulate all the winners and shortlisted nominees for their entrepreneurial success.”

The Mayor handed out awards to the winners with entrepreneur and business mentor Rachel Elnaugh, one of the original ‘dragons’ on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den and founder of Red Letter days.

She said: “It’s great to be part of enterprise events like this. Because of Dragons’ Den there’s a whole new spirit of enterprise, and that’s what we need to build the economy. What’s great about these awards is that they are a good way to encourage local businesses.”

Joining the Mayor on the judging panel were: Sinclair Beecham MBE, co-founder of Pret a Manger and owner of the Hoxton Hotel; Ian King, Deputy Business Editor of The Times and Hackney resident; Yvonne Thompson CBE, one of the founders of Choice FM; and Dave Blake, Publishing Director at newspaper group Archant London, which publishes the Hackney Gazette.

The sponsors were: The Co-Operative Bank, GLL, Groundwork and Holborn Studios.


Full list of winners:

Best New Business:
Pages of Hackney – independent Clapton bookshop stocking a wide range of books and hosting events, readings, art shows and performances in its basement gallery.
www.pagesofhackney.co.uk

Best Green Business, sponsored by Groundwork:
Green Bottle Unit – manufactures striking and original 100 per cent recycled glass products for use in landscape, architectural and interior design.
www.freeform.org.uk/GBU.htm

Best Leisure or Entertainment Business, sponsored by GLL:
Boulevard Catering & Events – offering bespoke full-service catering and events solutions to a wide range of clients. They have also worked with Hackney Recruitment Partnership and Inspire to offer work placements to adults and young people.
www.boulevardevents.co.uk

Best Creative or Media Business, sponsored by Holborn Studios:
Dezeen Limited – design and architecture website with a global monthly readership of 1.5million.
www.dezeen.com

Best Social Enterprise, sponsored by The Co-operative Bank:
Renaisi Ltd – One of the country’s leading social enterprises specialising in neighbourhood regeneration and the delivery of local public services.
www.renaisi.com

Best in the Business:
HCT Group – founded in 1982 to provide affordable community transport services for the use of local voluntary organisations, charities and community groups, it has now expanded to run six red bus routes for TFL, as well as bus routes outside of London and a highly successful training programme.
www.hctgroup.org


Message from the sponsors:

The Co-operative Bank
The Co-operative Bank has the knowledge, credentials and expertise to provide a comprehensive portfolio of banking services to public, private and social organisations. As the only UK high street bank with a customer-led ethnical policy we are keen to support social enterprise and are proud to support the Mayor of Hackney’s Business Awards

GLL
As a leading charitable social enterprise and leisure operator, GLL is delighted to be supporting the Mayor of Hackney’s Business Awards. Entrepreneurship is at the heart of our organisation and through our commitment to local employment and education we hope we can do our part to encourage individual and business success within the borough.

Groundwork
Groundwork’s vision is of a society made up of sustainable communities which are vibrant, healthy and safe, which respect the local and global environment and where individuals and enterprise prosper. We have a strong connection with Hackney and its business sector and are pleased to help recognise excellence in sustainable business.

Holborn Studios
Holborn Studios is Europe’s largest photographic studio complex and has operated from its present site on the Hackney border with the Regents Canal for over 20 years. We are very proud to have won “Best in the Business” category in the Mayor of Hackney’s Business Awards 2009 and are deeply committed to supporting the creative businesses that have magnificently flourished in Hackney during recent years.


Find out more about the Mayor of Hackney’s Business Awards 2010: www.hackney.gov.uk/mayorsbusinessawards