Tag Archive for: Merton Best Business Awards

Merton Best Business Awards Finalists

 

This year’s awards shortlist shines a light on Merton’s vibrant and diverse business community.

Now in their 10th year, the Merton Best Business Awards celebrate and recognise the local business community with a range of prestigious awards.

The judging panel, made up of representatives from local businesses, received a fantastic number of applications for award categories including Champions of Change, Independent Business Award, Best New Business, Sustainable Impact Award and Entrepreneur of the Year. Members of the public were also invited to join the judging process by voting for their favourite local business that is offering outstanding customer service. This year the Business Innovation Award is being sponsored by Love Wimbledon.

CEO of Merton Chamber of Commerce, Diana Sterck, said: “We were thrilled that so many local businesses applied for this year’s awards. The judges were blown away by the stories of resilience, innovation and excellence that they read, and it was harder than ever to whittle down a shortlist. Every Merton business should feel exceptionally proud of their journey over the past couple of years and we are looking forward to celebrating at our gala awards ceremony in September.”

To see the list of finalists for each award category, please visit mertonbestbusiness.co.uk/news. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Wednesday 28th September.

Merton Best Business Award-Winners 2021

After a one-year break, over 200 local business people gathered yesterday evening, 1st December, for the Merton Best Business Awards (MBBA) at the prestigious All England Tennis Club.

The MBBAs were redesigned for 2021 to recognise the challenges faced by businesses during the pandemic. A range of new categories and an easier application process attracted the highest ever number of applications in the Awards’ nine-year history – testament to the resilience and determination of Merton’s businesses in the face of such difficult operating conditions.

Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon, said:

‘It was a brilliant evening and great to see businesses recognised for their resilience and celebrating together in person after a tough couple of years.’

 

Lu-Ma Café

Love Wimbledon BID business, Lu-Ma Café, scored a hat trick, coming away with category awards for ‘Star of the Year’ and ‘In the Face of Adversity’, and were crowned Overall Winner while Wimbledon Bookfest took home the ‘Arts & Culture’ award.

Wimbledon Bookfest

The Polka Theatre, The Wimbledon Group and Finling Associates Ltd were runners up for the ‘In the Face of Adversity’, ‘Arts & Culture’ and ‘Best Innovation and Customer Focus’ awards respectively.

A full list of winners and runners-up can be found on the Merton Best website here.

Love Wimbledon were proud to be gold sponsors of this event and sponsored the ‘In the Face of Adversity Award’, recognising business resilience over the last 18 months.

Merton Best Business Awards: Applications Open

The Merton Best Business Awards have officially launched with new award categories celebrating the business heroes of the pandemic.

The 2021 Merton Best Business Awards launched yesterday at Wimbledon BookFest, as Merton’s business owners gathered to reflect on their experiences of the past 18 months.

Diana Sterck, CEO of Merton Chamber of Commerce and the organiser of the MBBAs, announced a new set of award categories that will shine a light on the organisations, teams and individuals who have survived, revived and thrived against the unique challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Newly created awards include:

  • ‘Team Spirit’: to recognise how people have pulled together to propel their business forward;
  • ‘Leader of the Year’ and ‘Star of the Year’: to recognise those who showed guidance, strength and leadership to their colleagues despite difficult circumstances
  • ‘Arts & Culture’ award: for organisations in the creative arts industry, many of which were unable to operate for many months
  • ‘Best for Innovation and Customer Focus’: for businesses that have put their customers first throughout
  • ‘Retail Award’: for independent retailers who were able to react and adapt to survive

Members of the public will have a chance to vote for their favourite hospitality business, but this year they will also be asked to nominate their Local Business Hero – a business that has gone above and beyond during the pandemic, despite the circumstances.

Love Wimbledon will be sponsoring the ‘In The Face of Adversity’ award category.

Diana Sterck, CEO of Merton Chamber of Commerce, said:

“These new award categories will demonstrate the incredible resourcefulness and resilience of Merton’s businesses in the face of unprecedented challenge. Applying for an MBBA is the ideal way to show the world just how proud you are of your company and your team, and we encourage everyone to take part so that we can celebrate together. I can’t wait to hear the stories of how Merton’s businesses have survived, revived and thrived this year.”

Applications are open now and we encourage businesses in Wimbledon Town Centre to apply here before the application deadline on 29th October.

Merton Best Business Awards Launch

Join Merton Chamber of Commerce and Merton’s business community at Wimbledon BookFest for the official launch of the 2021 Merton Best Business Awards.

Thursday 16th September, 3.30pm – 5pm on Wimbledon Common.

 

This year’s free launch event is the perfect opportunity to meet the award sponsors and past winners, network with other business owners and find out how to apply for this year’s awards.  The theme of this year’s awards is ‘Survive, Revive and Thrive’, to recognise the courage and resilience of Merton’s business community through these challenging times.

New categories will shine a light on the resilience, ingenuity and courage of Merton’s business community – with awards for entrepreneurship, team spirit, climate action and leadership in the face of adversity. Love Wimbledon will be sponsoring the ‘In the Face of Adversity Award’.

There will also be a public vote for Merton’s Business Hero and Best Hospitality Business of the Year – with a focus on how these businesses have adapted during the pandemic.

Join this afternoon of reflection, inspiration and reconnection as businesses share stories of the past year and look ahead to the future in Merton.

The event is FREE, but please register your attendance by emailing us on events@mertonchamber.co.uk

Merton Best Business Awards are Back

Merton Chamber of Commerce have announced that the Merton Best Business Awards (MBBAs) are back for 2021.

After a year like no other, the 2021 MBBAs are back to recognise and celebrate Merton’s incredible business community. A new set of award categories has been designed to reflect the journey that businesses have been on: to recognise flexibility and resilience, and to celebrate their achievements against the odds.

The Covid-19 pandemic meant that many businesses faced ongoing challenges throughout 2020, and despite the cancellation of the Merton Best Business Awards last year, Merton Chamber of Commerce believe that there is a great deal to reflect upon and to celebrate in 2021. Businesses in Merton – and the people in our community – have shown incredible resilience over the past 18 months, constantly adapting to survive this particular storm. The 2021 Merton Best Business Awards will seek to recognise that.

Government guidance permitting, the 2021 Merton Best Business Awards will launch in September as part of Bookfest on Wimbledon Common. The outdoor location and extended space will allow for the involvement of sponsors, past award winners and Merton businesses, for an evening of reflection and inspiration, as they share stories of the past year and consider what comes next.

Diana Sterck, CEO of Merton Chamber of Commerce, commented:

“Over the past 8 years, the Merton Best Business Awards have become a key event in the business calendar. I’m delighted that we are able to bring them back for 2021, so that we can give our business community a moment to reflect after a very tough year. If you’ve never entered the awards before, now is the perfect time to do so – there will be a new set of award categories, and we’re making the application process as simple as possible so that everyone can be involved. We’ve come through so much together – let’s celebrate that.”

Applications for the new award categories will open later in the year but businesses can register their interest now by emailing awards@mertonchamber.co.uk.

Merton Best Business Awards Cancelled

 

On 22nd May 2020 the Merton Chamber Board of Directors, in consultation with Award sponsors, made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Awards. The Awards will return in March 2021 to celebrate everything that is good about business in Merton.

 

Diana Sterck, CEO of Merton Chamber of Commerce, explains the decision

“Cancelling the Awards this year is a big disappointment to us and our sponsors and I know for all potential business applicants. The decision was not taken likely and we have held off making it for as long as we could. We launched the Awards two days before we went into Lockdown in March 2020 and were always hopeful that the country would recover much more quickly from the COVID-19 pandemic than has been the case. We want the Awards to be relevant, timely and appropriate for all business sectors and, because of the pandemic and the challenges faced by many sectors, we have made the decision that our energies need to go into supporting business as we come out of Lockdown and into recovery”.

 

The Merton Best Business Awards is Merton Chamber of Commerce’s flagship event. It will return in 2021 to celebrate the amazing achievements of local businesses.

 

To find out more about Award winners and sponsors please visit www.mertonbestbusiness.co.uk

 

Merton Best Business Awards 2019 RESULTS

Last night many businesses within the BID excelled at the Merton Best Business Awards 2019 held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.  With 33 finalists across 16 categories, we celebrated with 7 Love Wimbledon BID businesses winning in their categories and 10 as runners up. An extraordinary achievement.

Helen Clark Bell, CEO of Love Wimbledon said ‘This reflects the variety of businesses we have in the town centre and how they continue to develop and reach for growth.

‘We are really proud there are so many award winning businesses in Merton and in Wimbledon Town Centre, from popular eateries, energetic start-ups to national HQs doing things differently. We wish them every success as we do with all businesses in the borough.’

 

Overall Winner

Gina Conway Aveda Salon & Spa

 

Best Apprentice of the Year

Enrico Montana, TWM Solicitors – Runner Up

 

Best Employer of the Year

Fayre and Square – Runner Up

 

Best Enterprising Business

Finling Associates Limited – Runner Up

 

Best in the Creative Sector

Polka Theatre – Winner

 

Best Large Business

Iglu.com – Winner

Itsu – Runner Up

 

Best Medium Business

Gina Conway Aveda Salon and Spa – Winner

SANTORO – Runner Up

 

Best Pub of the Year

Prince of Wales – Winner

The Alexandra – Runner Up

 

Best Restaurant of the Year

Lu-Ma Cafe – Runner Up

 

Best Service Excellence

Gina Conway Aveda Salon & Spa – Winner

The Alexandra – Runner Up

 

Positive Workplace

Lu-Ma Cafe – Winner

Peldon Rose – Runner Up

 

 

The Extra Mile

The Alexandra – Runner Up

 

For the full list of results please visit Merton Best Business Awards.

Merton Best Business Awards 2018 Winners

What a great night for Love Wimbledon businesses at the Merton Best Business Awards!

We were delighted that 17 businesses from the town centre were finalists and we were proud to celebrate with them. Eight businesses went on to be awarded runners up and eight claimed winners titles in their categories.

 

Andrew Wakefield Award

Winner – Mick Dore, The Alexandra

 

 

Best Apprentice Of The Year

Winner – Ibolya Gyero, Lu-Ma Cafe

Runner Up – Lukasz Sosgornik, The Alexandra

 

 

Entrepreneur Of The Year

Runner Up – Sahaj Kothari, Make In 3D

 

 

Best Enterprising Business

Winner – SANTORO Ltd

Runner Up – Make In 3D

 

 

Best In The Creative Sector

Winner – SANTORO Ltd

Runner Up – 360 Ripple

 

 

Best Business in Wimbledon Town Centre

Winner – The Alexandra

Runner Up – Justin James Hotel

 

Employer of the Year

Runner Up – Finling Associates

 

Healthy Workplace

Winner – Harnham Group Ltd

Runner Up – Retail IT

 

 

Best Business over 50 Employees

Winner – Harnham Group Ltd

 

Restaurant of the Year

Winner – Lu-Ma Cafe

 

 

Pub of the Year

Winner – The Alexandra

Runner Up – Prince of Wales

 

Helen Clark Bell, Chief Executive of Love Wimbledon said “We are very proud to be gold sponsors of these annual awards for the sixth year, giving businesses the possibility of becoming award winners and shine in our local community. We never miss an opportunity to shout out and be proud of our Wimbledon businesses and these awards really highlight the variety we have in our town centre.”

For the full list of all category runners up and winners at this years Merton Best Business Awards click here.