Countdown toawards night

Tonight, Thursday 6th September, the movers and shakers of Gainsborough’s business community will gather for a glittering awards ceremony at The White Heather, Caenby Corner.

Here we meet some of the finalists with their eyes on the top prizes.

Nominations for the Best Use of Innovation and Technology include Respect Green Burials, which has burial sites at Laughton near Gainsborough and Scrooby near Bawtry. The team at Respect Green Burials are also nominated for the Best Small Business category.

“We are really pleased about being part of these awards. It makes us feel a bit more a part of the local business community,” said team member Gordon Tulley. “The Gainsborough Business Awards are a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to the local community, without who we would not have a business.”

Respect Green Burials have developed an innovative new service for their clients using new technologies.

“The Memorialiser is a way of bringing any burial plot to life,” explained Gordon. “Anyone with a mobile phone that is Internet enabled can scan the memorial and get an instant image of the person in that grave, and their obituary or eulogy.”

“Families can also access and add to their family history and genealogy using the application.”

Gordon said the team at Respect Green Burials was looking forward to the evening at the White Heather, as they did last year.

“We wish all the finalists good luck, and hope the best businesses win,” he said.

Another finalist, this time in the Best Customer Service category, is Emmalooos Coffee and Tapas Bar.

The popular Market Street eatery has been shortlisted thanks to its loyal customers who voted through The Gainsborough Standard.

“Emmalooos manager Sophie Lintott told the Standard: “We’re delighted that for the second year running, we have been shortlisted for the Best Customer Service award.”

“Many thanks to all our customers who nominated us, and for all their support.”

A total of 21 businesses have been shortlisted across seven categories.

And representatives from each will be treated to a fabulous occasion tonight, expected to be bigger and better than the previous two years.

The awards are a black tie dinner, with special guest speaker Sharon Wright.

Sharon appeared on BBC2’s Dragons’ Den with her invention MagnaMole.

Not only did she secure more money than she had asked for, the investment was also on better terms.

For a full report on the success stories from the Gainsborough Business Awards 2012, see next week’s Gainsborough Standard – out Thursday 13th September.

Gainsborough Business

Awards Finalists

l Best Customer Service

Barron Bou’

Emmalooos Coffee House

The Weston Rooms

l Best Use of Innovation / Technology

Respect Woodland Green Burial Parks

R H Smith & Sons (Wigmakers) Limited

Trent Valley Academy

l Business of the Year

The Gelder Group

Regal Manufacturing Limited

R H Smith & Sons (Wigmakers) Limited

l Small Business of the Year

Supplybase Solutions Limited

Barron Bou’

Respect Woodland Green Burial Parks

l Outstanding Contribution to the Community

Lincolnshire Co-operative Limited

The Gelder Group

R H Smith & Sons (Wigmakers) Limited

l Best New Business

Connell & Son

Parr Energy Solutions Limited

Supplybase Solutions Limited

l Business Person of the Year

Celia Madden – West Lindsey Domestic Abuse Service

Dawn Barron – Barron Bou’

Ed Holmes – Regal Manufacturing Limited