THE 2016 Oxfordshire Business Awards is moving with the times by introducing two new categories to reflect the underlying dynamics of the county’s economy.

Oxfordshire’s pre-eminent commercial awards started its 22nd year with an official launch on Thursday at sponsor Inchcape Mercedes-Benz’s showroom in Langford Lane, Kidlington.

The awards chairman, Paul Lowe, who is also operations director at Darbys Solicitors in Oxford, said a new Food and Drink Producer of the Year Award, that celebrates Oxfordshire’s food or drink producers who grow, breed, farm, make, create and supply food and drink products to the catering trade and retailers, would be sponsored by caterers Oxford Fine Dining.

“We’re hoping to reflect the fact that there are many businesses out there who make a food or drink product,” he said.

Another new prize category is the Property Award, which is sponsored by estate agents Savills.

Mr Lowe, who said the construction market was more buoyant than it had been for some time, said the prize was “for the design, construction and refurbishment of commercial property throughout the county”.

The awards have also attracted new sponsors, including the Oxford Science Park, which will be associated with the Innovation Award.

The overall winner in 2015, Kidlington-based electrical contractors Darke & Taylor, which took the prestigious Business of the Year Award, as well as the Apprenticeship of the Year Award, will return to sponsor the main category in keeping with tradition. “We call it passing the baton,” said Mr Lowe.

Despite the two new categories, however, the overall number of award categories will remain at 14, due to a rationalisation of some prizes.

The Marketing Excellence Award, which is to be sponsored by Ridgeway, will now incorporate the old Digital Innovation Award.

And the Export Award is no longer part of the competition.

“We have retained Mercedes-Benz and they continue to sponsor the Retail Award, which has been tremendously successful in its first year,” he said.

“The Apprenticeship of the Year Award will continue for its third year.”

Mr Lowe praised the local business community for the success of the 2015 awards, which attracted a record 350 entries, up almost 20 per cent up on the previous year.

“We had a great number of entries, quality and excellence, followed by a hugely successful dinner.”

Of the 2016 awards, he said: “We’re looking to build upon that success and to widen our horizons with the two new awards.”

Former winners urged businesses to enter the 2016 awards. Lee McQueen, who won The Apprentice in 2008, was named as young business person of the year and his business, Raw Talent Academy, in Watlington, which specialises in recruitment and training in sales, was named small business of the year.

Speaking at the launch of the 2016 awards, he said: “Winning the award was like a big pat on the back and someone saying ‘you know you are doing well, you are doing the right things, so keep going’.

“If you are thinking of entering, then just do it. One of our new clients is Red Bull and these awards are helping us to win new clients.”

Kidlington electrical contractor Darke & Taylor won both the apprenticeship of the year award and the overall business of the year award this year.

Oxford Mail:

  • Glamorous surroundings: The launch of the awards at Inchcape Mercedes-Benz’s Kidlington showroom   

Commercial director Simon Newton said: “Winning the award helps us to attract the right sort of staff. To say you are an award-winning company may tip the balance and make a person come and work for you, rather than a competitor. It also helps when you are tendering for work. It works across the whole remit of the business.

“If you are thinking of entering for an award, don’t just think about, give it a go.”

A gala dinner will again be held at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel, in Sandford-on-Thames, in June when the award winners will be announced. About 500 people are expected to attend the sell-out event.

Entries for the 2016 awards opened at the same time as the launch. Any business in Oxfordshire with autonomous local management is eligible to apply. However, individual award categories have slightly different entry criteria.

Besides the categories mentioned above, other prizes include: the Cultural Events and Tourism Award; the Young Business Person of the Year Award; the Charity and Community Award; the New Business Award; the Small Business Award; the Large Business Award; the Business Person of the Year Award; and the Employer of the Year Award.

Sponsors will decide on three finalists for each of the prize categories. The winner of the Business of the Year Award is chosen from those category finalists.

For full details, visit the website oxfordshirebusinessawards.co.uk and see Twitter #oxbizawards