SEVERAL local businesses have been nominated for a national award by their customers.

Jim Stone's Coaches, the Abbey National Bank, The Musketeer, Asda, Boots the Chemist and Leigh's Spinning Gate Shopping Centre, have been nominated for Ease Awards.

Ease (Ease of Access, Service and Employment) awards were created by the Queen Elizabeth Foundation for Disabled People, in partnership with British Gas.

The awards acknowledge the efforts made by companies to ensure they meet the needs of disabled people.

"The awards give disabled people the chance to nominate organisations which they believe are making the greatest effort in responding to their needs," said British Gas communications manager John Jessup.

Finalists short-listed in September will be professionally audited and assessed.

Jim Stones told The Journal: "We are playing our part in making local public transport accessible to all.

"New buses introduced recently make 45% of our normal services, except schools, fully accessible and by early 2000, it will be 95% plus."

Pictured is manager Robert Dyson with one of the Stones buses.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.