Enterprising culture club earns top business award
STUART PIKE
AN ARTS and cultural centre has been honoured as the most enterprising business in Hyndburn.
Accrington Town Hall ballroom was packed with 250 people from nominated businesses and sponsors for the second Hyndburn Business Awards, opened by Mayor of Hyndburn Peter Britcliffe.
The Stonehouse Logic Award is the beacon that all businesses strive to attain and this year it was won by Oswaldtwistle’s Civic Arts Centre and Theatre, who also took home the Tourism trophy.
Creative director Gayle Knight dedicated the centre’s success to all the members of the team.
She said: “This year we have raised our profile in the community. We try to change things all the time and be original and different and try to give the community the opportunity to be creative.
“We are always trying different ideas and it is lovely to be recognised. It is amazing to get this award and it was totally unexpected.”
Garlands Florists, of Oswaldtwistle, was the only business to retain its trophy, scooping the Independent Retailer title for a second year.
Rachel McClure said: “I am over the moon and can’t believe it. To win it the first time was brilliant, but I never expected to win it again this year.”
Her husband Simon added: “When customers come into our florists our philosophy is that we are privileged that they want to shop with us.”
Also celebrating double success was The Balti House in Rishton, which scooped the Food Business trophy and the Customer Friendly title, nom- inated by customers.
Tragically the winner of last year’s Enterprising Person Award Evonne Harwood died suddenly in April; she had again been nominated, but organisers could not bring themselves to open the application form.
Next year in her honour, Rob Carder, from awards’ organisers Enterprising People, has announced a new award – the Evonne Harwood Event of the Year as Evonne was the driving force behind Warner Street’s successful Dickensian evening.
He said: “This year has been made possible by the range of businesses that sponsored awards and the ceremony, the food provided by Accrington and Rossendale College and the trophies made and designed by Hollins Technology College. This year we received 414 nominations, a phenomenal success in just the awards’ second year.”