PRESENTATIONS for this year’s Richmond Business Excellence Awards were made on Friday evening at an event hailed as a celebration of the town's "diverse and outstanding" companies.

The ceremony, at The Station Café Bar, Richmond, included a reception for all shortlisted entrants. Jonathan Preece, Lieutenant Colonel Retired, former Mayor of Richmond, was compere for the evening and Baroness Harris of Richmond presented the prizes.

The overall winner of the David Doorbar Award for Excellence was presented by Faye Doorbar to Luke Boston, the 27-year-old Director of BSA Electrical, who also won the award for Best New Business.

Jo Foster of Kiss the Moon and Fiona Dean of Ravensworth Nurseries were the recipients of Richmond Beacon Awards for outstanding businesses showing resilience, innovation, customer service, marketing and outstanding employer.

Volunteer-run Richmond Information Centre received the One and Only Award. The centre is a valuable resource for Richmond and the Business and Tourism Association and this award was created in gratitude for the support given to businesses and the wider community by the hard-working volunteer managers and staff.

A special Spirit of the Community Award was created for Gill Page of Medieval Music in the Dales who is a new contributor to the culture of Richmond’s community, producing MayFest for the weekend of April 30. This puts another spotlight on Richmond, attracting more people to the town.

Almost 100 guests attended the awards. Baroness Harris said: “It was an absolutely wonderful evening – celebrating the diverse and outstanding businesses we have in Richmond and it was both a great joy and privilege to present the awards to the winners. There were lots of entries – all of whom deserved an accolade – and I want to thank Marcia McLuckie, Chair of the Original Richmond Business and Tourism Association and the judges for organising this prestigious event which can only get better year by year."

The awards are organised by the Original Richmond Business and Tourism Association (ORBTA), with help and financial support from The Company of Mercers, Grocers and Haberdashers of Richmond (Yorkshire) Guild and Richmondshire District Council.

Other recipients of Richmond’s Awards for Excellence were:

The Dennis Graves Award for Young Person of the Year – Ryan Davies of The Station Café Bar

Business Chameleon – TMC – Tunstall Meat Company

Best Customer Focus, Leisure – Charlotte Jacqueline School of Dance

Best Customer Focus, Retail – Granny’s Kitchen

Best Innovation – Trimble Productions

Environmental Award, Small Business – Goosewing Gallery

Environmental Award – Low Impact Forestry

Best Market Stall – Carricks

Best Information Technology – Signal Telecom

Best Marketing – Berber Leather

Best One Person Business – Twisted Arts Studio

Star Awards for Devotion to Duty at Work and at Home – Emma Filius of Roots and Shoots Florist and Jackie Spence of The Raw Store

Outstanding Employees – Alex O’Reilly, Kiss the Moon and Leigha Pollitt, Berber Leather

Best Employers – Elizabeth Graves of Mocha and Gareth and Emma Bottomley of The Station Café Bar