Lancashire’s best businesses honoured at awards

150 Lancashire businesses celebrated at the sell-out Red Rose Awards in Blackpool, with 24 collecting specially crafted trophies to mark their exceptional business performance.

The winners, along with a trio of firms which were highly commended in their categories, were cheered on by a capacity audience of more than 1,100 – filling the vast Winter Gardens' Empress Ballroom.

Business from the length and breadth of the county vied for titles across a range of categories, with only the best of the best, as selected by a panel of expert judges, progressing through to the shortlist and then onto the stage to be rewarded with fanfare.

It was the fifth time the Red Rose Awards had been held, which coincided with the tenth anniversary of Lancashire Business View, the magazine behind the event.

In addition to the 25 category winners, an extra special publisher’s award was presented to Padiham’s Trueman’s (Holdings).

Event founder Richard Slater, also the publisher of Lancashire Business View, said: “It has been another fantastic Red Rose Awards – our fifth to date. We are thrilled by the business community getting so involved. We created the event to promote trade in the county and to celebrate the success stories and it is fantastic to see that so many support that vision.

“The Red Rose Awards do things the Lancashire way and continue to grow in popularity every year. That’s more collaborators, more suppliers and more businesses talking to each other than ever before.”

BBC Radio Lancashire host Graham Liver compered the evening, whilst Burnley businessman and TV star Dave Fishwick providing the voiceover.

Headline sponsors for the event were Forbes Solicitors and Barclays. A full review and picture gallery will be featured in the May/June edition of Lancashire Business View. Entertainment included Lancashire-based international opera singer Sean Ruane backed by the BAE Systems MAI Choir, Mr Wilson's Second Liners and the Ian Hooper Band.

Full list of winners:

Online Business of the Year
EKM Powershop, Darwen

Skills Provider Award
Themis at Burnley College, Burnley

Rural Business of the Year
Farm Creative, Billsborrow

Green Business Award Winner
the low carbon energy company, Burnley

Not-for-profit Business of the Year
The Foxton Centre, Preston

Customer Service Award
StoneHouse Logic, Clayton le Moors

New Business of the Year
Ruby & Daisy, Rossendale

International Achievement Award
Natures Aid, Preston

Innovation of the Year
Morow, Nelson

Growing Business of the Year
Service Care Solutions, Preston

Creative Sector Business of the Year
Cuffe and Taylor, Preston

Retail Business of the Year
Freeport, Fleetwood

Tourism and Leisure Business of the Year
Crow Wood Leisure, Burnley

Construction Business of the Year
Prefix Systems, Blackburn

Engineering Business of the Year
PDS Engineering, Nelson

Health and Care Business of the Year
MAC Clinical Research, Blackpool

Legal Business of the Year
Joseph Frasier Solicitors, Blackburn

Manufacturing Business of the Year
Prefix Systems, Blackburn

Property Business of the Year
Anderton Gables, Preston

Financial Services Business of the Year
Marsden Building Society, Nelson

Employer of the Year
Danbro, Lytham

Family Business of the Year
The Chorley Group, Chorley

Small Business of the Year
Tufties Hair and Beauty, Rossendale

Medium Business of the Year
Prefix Systems, Blackburn

Large Business of the Year
Simon Jersey, Accrington

Publisher’s Award
Truemans, Padiham

Ends

Winners photographs can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/91303403@N06/sets/72157649004990483

Rachael Norris
Marketing Manager

Lancashire Business View
East Park Lodge, East Park Road
Blackburn BB18DW
T: 01254 295580
[email protected]