The Sussex Sign Company are proud to have been sponsors of the best retailer of the year at this years Seahaven Business Awards.
There was a record turnout this year for the Seahaven Business Awards – now in its 12th year – over 1100 nominations were received from 74 companies across the Seahaven area for the 6 categories and there was a full house of 100 guests for the President’s Grand Gala Awards Dinner held on May 9th at Woody’s at Peacehaven Golf Club. The judging panel included M.P. Norman Baker, the ex-Mayor of Newhaven Julie Carr and the Presidents/Chairmen of the Newhaven, Peacehaven and Seaford Chambers of Commerce. The winners of the six categories were as follows:
Business of the Year – (sponsored by Swindells Chartered Accountants)
Ist place: CWJ Landscapes 2nd: Seaford Chiropody and Podiatry 3rd:Fundraising Auctions tied with Badger Inks
Business Person of the Year – (sponsored by Autowise)
1st: Simon Studd of Cleancut Gardening Services 2nd: Ian Kerr – Complementary Practitioner 3rd: Alison Campbell of The Co-operative Funeralcare Newhaven
Best Customer Service – (sponsored by The Hope Inn)
1st: Dial a Pet Service 2nd: HSBC Bank Newhaven 3rd: The Co-operative Funeralcare Newhaven
Best Retailer of the Year – (sponsored by The Sussex Sign Company)
1st: Badger Inks 2nd: Osborne’s Fish Bar 3rd: Grab N Go
Best Environmental Business – (sponsored by HM Bookkeeping)
1st: Cleankill Environmental Services 2nd: Age UK East Sussex 3rd: Screen Solutions
President’s Award – Lifetime Achievement Award – (sponsored by Badger Inks)
1st: Peter Crowley (formerly of Wave Leisure) 2nd: Bob Welch – Wasp Printers 3rd: Mike Shorer – Mike Shorer Fine Jewellery
Just prior to awarding the Seahaven Business Awards trophies, Phil Merry, Vice Chairman of Peacehaven Chamber presented their annual Chairman’s Award trophy to Helen Macaulay for her achievements throughout the year, and Gerri Ori, Chairman of Seaford Chamber awarded their Chairman’s trophy to Dave Argent.
The Awards were followed by a grand raffle and the evening was rounded off with an auction of two discounted return airline tickets to Vietnam which had been donated by Mr Le Thanh Dzung, from Vietnam Airlines. The tickets were presented to the winner, Shem and Liz Gardner of The Hope Inn by His Excellency Ambassador Vu Quang Minh, Vietnamese Ambassador for UK and Ireland, Newhaven Chamber’s special guest for the event. The tickets raised £602.00 and the raffle raised £275.00. All proceeds from the auction and the raffle were donated to the Hillcrest Community Centre in Newhaven, a registered charity.
Other distinguished guests included Norman Baker MP, the Leader of Lewes District Council Rob Blackman and outgoing Newhaven Mayor Julie Carr.
Annie Lorys, President of the Newhaven Chamber of Commerce said: ‘This has been a fantastic event. We had a record number of nominations this year – the standard was exceptionally high and the judges had a very tough job when it came to selecting the finalists and then whittling this down to the winners. Our congratulations to all the finalists and winners, but I would like to say to the businesses that weren’t placed this year – please don’t be disheartened – the standard of all the nominations was very high and we hope that they will consider entering again next year.
And for the second time in the Chamber’s history, we had to turn people away for the Awards Dinner because we couldn’t fit any more people into Woody’s Bar and Grill.
On behalf of Newhaven Chamber I would like to say a really big thank you to all our sponsors- in particular our key sponsor Wave Leisure; Sustrans who sponsored some of our advertising and the 6 sponsors of the Awards, without whom this event would not be possible. We are also delighted that Peacehaven and Seaford Chambers came on board this year and encouraged so many businesses in the Seahaven area to take part. Also, thank you to all the businesses that participated – please take part again next year – a larger venue is planned for an even bigger and better event in 2015!
For more information about Newhaven Chamber of Commerce go to www.newhavenchamber.co.uk or ring 01273 517544.
