Business success was celebrated last night at the Wyre Business Awards 2016.



The event, sponsored by the NPL Group, Regenda Housing and Freeport Fleetwood, was a glamorous black-tie dinner held at Marine Hall in Fleetwood attended by businesses from across Wyre, partner organisations, event sponsors and award judges.

Robert McFarlane, Chairman, NPL Group said: “NPL Group are delighted to sponsor the Wyre Business Awards 2016. We recognise that all sizes and types of businesses play an important role in the Wyre economy. Hillhouse Business Park in Thornton has recently been announced as one of the Government’s new Enterprise Zones. Many companies on the site are world class standard and we hope to continue to grow and attract further investment, contributing even further to the local economy and providing jobs for local people.”

Amanda Elliott of Freeport said: “We have worked hard to create a reason for shoppers from across the North West to visit Fleetwood and are delighted by our success in contributing to the reinvigoration of the area as part of a vibrant retail community.”

The celebration event was attended by 250 business people from across Wyre. There were over 100 nominations for the awards across fifteen different categories. The judging panel included Principal of Myerscough College Ann Turner, Station Director of Radio Wave Paula Davies and Scott Carswell of NPL Group.

Christopher Standish, Regeneration and Place Manager at Regenda, said: "The Regenda Group are proud sponsors of the awards. We want the great work of local people and businesses to be acknowledged to a wider audience. With a turnover of £50m and a growing portfolio of homes and services we are doing our bit to build a better Wyre."

And the Wyre Business Awards winners were…

Best family business – The New Penny of Poulton
Best home based/online business – The Little Blue Hen Soap Crafting Company
Best new business – Spa on the Breck, Poulton
Community involvement award – Fleetwood Town Community Trust
Green business of the year – Biocore Organics
Micro business of the year – Northern Rags
Retailer of the year – The Barn at Scorton
SME of the year – VMS Solutions
Tourism attraction/event of the year – Old Holly Farm
Best serviced accommodation – Briardene Hotel & Brasserie
Best self-catering accommodation – Brickhouse Farm Holiday Cottages
Best eating/drinking establishment – Three (Knott End)
Employer of the year – The Barn at Scorton
Made in Wyre award – Pipers Restaurant
Special recognition awards:
Pool Foot Farm Sports & Leisure Complex
Addison Project Plc
Fleetwood Beach Kiosk
Prowash Valeting Centre Ltd
Jasmine’s Boutique
Growing with Nature
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Mrs Doreen Lofthouse OBE
A Lifetime Achievement Award went to Mrs Doreen Lofthouse OBE. Her work has not just been confined to the globally successful Fisherman's Friend family business, but her other family, the community of Fleetwood, has benefitted from her help and the whole Lofthouse family in many ways.

Councillor Peter Murphy, Cabinet member with responsibility for economic development at Wyre Council, said: “We have recognised for a long time that we have a lot of fantastic businesses in Wyre and the Wyre Business Awards ceremony is our way of saying thank you to our local businesses. Last year’s event was a great success and I am delighted that we have hosted this event for the third year running. For a small borough we really do punch above our weight on a business level and we intend to go a lot further. Wyre really is a great place to live, work, visit and invest.”

A big thank you to the main event sponsors, all those that donated prizes for the raffle in aid of the Mayor of Wyre's charities, which raised over £1000, and additional event sponsors Links Signs and Graphics and Fleetwood Festival of Transport.

Congratulations to all the award winners and we look forward to an even bigger and equally enjoyable event next year.

For further information visit www.wyre.gov.uk/wyreawards