The winners of this year’s Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards have been announced.
But, like everything else this year, they found out virtually as the organisers adapted to a ceremony in the time of COVID.
That meant no glamorous night out with canapes and cocktails in their finest for the runners and riders. Instead they found out via the computer screen.
Indeed, this year’s awards were actually cancelled because of COVID-19, but the successes and achievements of Lanarkshire’s top business were still recognised.
Categories included ‘excellence in customer service’, ‘best new business’, ‘community impact’ and ‘apprentice of the year’ – and there were several winners from East Kilbride.
Web specialists Commwire featured in both the best business (0-10 employees) and Lanarkshire’s best family business categories, while Red Bus Bistro featured as one of the best businesses (11-50 employees).
Their employee Nicole Abbate was also recognised through the apprentice of the year award alongside Kieran Duffy, of Dougall Baillie Associates, and Lee Fyfe, of Sixth Sense Training.
The awards, hosted by North and South Lanarkshire councils, are a firm favourite in the business calendar, with businesses of all sizes and from all sectors coming together to celebrate their success and link-in with others.
Finalists were announced virtually and awards hand-delivered to cover a range of categories.
Pauline Elliott, head of planning and economic development at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “This has been a year like no other for businesses.
“Many have had to strive just to keep their heads above water, and so it was only right that we should acknowledge all of those who, against the odds, managed to achieve a level of quality that saw them reach the stage of finalists.
“We are working with businesses of all types and sizes to help them navigate through these hugely difficult times, and as we congratulate this year’s finalists, we also look forward to next year’s awards being of a more familiar sort as a sign that business life has emerged from these times and grown stronger in the process.”
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It is hoped that businesses can get together next year and share their experiences and the challenges of 2020.
With that, a provisional date for the 2021 awards dinner has been set for Friday, September 3, at Motherwell Concert Hall.
Pamela Humphries, head of planning and regeneration at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “It’s been a very uncertain time for the business community.
“But we thought it was even more appropriate to recognise the businesses continuing to operate in these challenging times.
“When we see the economy slowly opening across the country, with circumstances varying for different sectors, we will continue to provide vital support to local businesses as they emerge from the pandemic.
“We are looking forward to working with businesses next year as our awards process moves forward.”
