Is your firm the cream of Hartlepool business world? Here's how you could win an award

Guests and shortlisted contenders pictured at last year;s awards finale.

The Hartlepool Business Awards are back for 2020 and they promise to be another year of celebration of outstanding achievements.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering finale in the Borough Hall on Thursday, May 21

But before then, the search starts from today to find the outstanding businesses which make the awards a success year after year.

All of the 2019 Hartlepool Business Awards winners. Will your firm follow in their footsteps?

A spokesman for the competition said: “The awards evening offers Hartlepool businesses the opportunity to network with each other whilst celebrating all that is good about businesses in the town.”

The competition has rewarded the very best in Hartlepool industry over the years and this year’s Overall Business of the Year winner will be following in the footsteps of the 2019 champions Gus Robinson Developments.

Judges heard that the construction company (founded in 1976 and owned by Dan Robinson and his mother Judith since the death of his father, Gus, in 2011) had shown exceptional growth which culminated in its sale in 2018 to Thirteen Homes.

But GRD was only one winner on a night when Hartlepool’s impressive business scene shone last year.

Raj Singh was announced as the 2019 Business Leader of the Year and received the trophy from Hartlepool Council Leader Christopher Ackers Belcher (right) and Andy Steel (left) of the Hartlepool Business Forum.

Hartlepool United chairman Raj Singh won the Business Leader of the Year crown for the way he has spearheaded the revival of Pools.

The Heugh Battery Museum took the Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality trophy while the Small Business of the Year was CIPHER Medical which provides full medical cover at events such as Tough Mudder UK.

Amacus, which has delivered training to more than 5,000 people, won the Service Sector. Manufacturer of the Year was Merlin Flex, and Advanced House Media, which develops product ranges such as Advanced Pro Salon, and has had a huge year of success, was the Most Promising New Business.

BloomInArt Northeast CIC was chosen as the Creative Sector winner while the Hartlepool Utd Community Sports Foundation took the Hartlepool Mail-sponsored Community category for its work into helping everyone from toddlers to the over-50s.

Gus Robinson Developments take the prestigious title of Overall Business of the Year at the 2019 awards. But who will succeed them in 2020?

The North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust won the Investment in Training trophy and Jack Hanlon won the Young Entrepreneur Award.

Now comes the search for the 2020 champions and those interested in entering should visit www.hartlepoolbusinessforum.co.uk.

How to enter

Follow the simple online entry instructions at www.hartlepoolbusinessforum.co.uk.

Entries are restricted to THREE categories only.

The Overall Business of the Year will be chosen from a new category and a separate entry form. Those businesses that do not wish to enter individual categories can enter for Overall Business of the Year separately.

Those businesses who are entering individual categories will need to enter for the Overall Business of the Year in addition to their category entries..

The categories.

Community.

Best Small Business.

Investment in Training.

Service Sector.

Tourism, Leisure & Hospitality.

Most Promising New Business.

Creative Industries.

Business Leader of the Year.

Manufacturing.

Young Entrepreneur.

Further details of the competition will be revealed in the weeks to come.