150 Lancashire businesses celebrated at the sell-out Red Rose Awards in Blackpool, with 24 collecting specially crafted trophies to mark their exceptional business performance.

The winners, along with a trio of firms which were highly commended in their categories, were cheered on by a capacity audience of more than 1,100 – filling the vast Winter Gardens' Empress Ballroom.

Business from the length and breadth of the county vied for titles across a range of categories, with only the best of the best, as selected by a panel of expert judges, progressing through to the shortlist and then onto the stage to be rewarded with fanfare.

It was the fifth time the Red Rose Awards had been held, which coincided with the tenth anniversary of Lancashire Business View, the magazine behind the event.

In addition to the 25 category winners, an extra special publisher’s award was presented to Padiham’s Trueman’s (Holdings).

Event founder Richard Slater, also the publisher of Lancashire Business View, said: “It has been another fantastic Red Rose Awards – our fifth to date. We are thrilled by the business community getting so involved. We created the event to promote trade in the county and to celebrate the success stories and it is fantastic to see that so many support that vision.

“The Red Rose Awards do things the Lancashire way and continue to grow in popularity every year. That’s more collaborators, more suppliers and more businesses talking to each other than ever before.”

BBC Radio Lancashire host Graham Liver compered the evening, whilst Burnley businessman and TV star Dave Fishwick providing the voiceover.

Headline sponsors for the event were Forbes Solicitors and Barclays. A full review and picture gallery will be featured in the May/June edition of Lancashire Business View. Entertainment included Lancashire-based international opera singer Sean Ruane backed by the BAE Systems MAI Choir, Mr Wilson's Second Liners and the Ian Hooper Band.

Full list of winners:

 

Online Business of the Year

EKM Powershop, Darwen

 

Skills Provider Award

Themis at Burnley College, Burnley

 

Rural Business of the Year

Farm Creative, Billsborrow

 

Green Business Award Winner

the low carbon energy company, Burnley

 

Not-for-profit Business of the Year

The Foxton Centre, Preston

 

Customer Service Award

StoneHouse Logic, Clayton le Moors

 

New Business of the Year

Ruby & Daisy, Rossendale

 

International Achievement Award

Natures Aid, Preston

 

Innovation of the Year

Morow, Nelson

 

Growing Business of the Year

Service Care Solutions, Preston

 

Creative Sector Business of the Year

Cuffe and Taylor, Preston

 

Retail Business of the Year

Freeport, Fleetwood

 

Tourism and Leisure Business of the Year

Crow Wood Leisure, Burnley

 

Construction Business of the Year

Prefix Systems, Blackburn

 

Engineering Business of the Year

PDS Engineering, Nelson

 

Health and Care Business of the Year

MAC Clinical Research, Blackpool

 

Legal Business of the Year

Joseph Frasier Solicitors, Blackburn

 

Manufacturing Business of the Year

Prefix Systems, Blackburn

 

Property Business of the Year

Anderton Gables, Preston

 

Financial Services Business of the Year

Marsden Building Society, Nelson

 

Employer of the Year

Danbro, Lytham

 

Family Business of the Year

The Chorley Group, Chorley

 

Small Business of the Year

Tufties Hair and Beauty, Rossendale

 

Medium Business of the Year

Prefix Systems, Blackburn

 

Large Business of the Year

Simon Jersey, Accrington

 

Publisher’s Award

Truemans, Padiham

 

Ends

 

Winners photographs can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/91303403@N06/sets/72157649004990483