Entries have opened for the Purbeck Business Awards with a chance of becoming a winner in 2025.
The awards which were founded in 2022 by organisers Marketing West and are free to enter, are focussed on promoting and celebrating local business success and entrepreneurial spirit.
The 2024 awards took place in The Showbar at The Mowlem but for 2025 it will be moving upstairs into the larger, newly refurbished studio
Awards ceremony at The Mowlem
Now in its third year, the deadline to enter or nominate a Purbeck business is Friday 7th March 2025 with the awards ceremony taking place on Thursday 10th April 2025 in The Studio at The Mowlem in Swanage.
Past winners include Corbens Estate Agents, Dorset Adventure Park, Land and Wave, The Italian Kitchen, Swanage Railway, Cumulus Outdoors, Holme for Gardens and artist Andy Knill.
All businesses across Purbeck including those based in and around Wareham are eligible to enter.
Event organiser Nigel Reeve (left) with Wareham town mayor Carol Turner (centre) and Swanage town mayor Tina Foster (right) at the award ceremony in February 2024
“The single ethos is on promoting business”
Nigel Reeve of Marketing West said:
“We’re putting more and more into the event each year. For 2025, the awards ceremony will be live streamed and anyone that gets invited to the event will be either a gold or silver winner, meaning an increased profile for more businesses. There will also be a video wall showing all the past Purbeck winners.
“We’re really going to town with the awards ceremony in the amazing new studio at The Mowlem – we’ve already ordered the white tablecloths!
“There are 12 categories to enter including a new one – the high street (town centre) impact award – which is for the business that has done the most to bring more trade into the area.
“I’d really encourage businesses to enter and for others who think a business should win, to nominate them – it isn’t the number of nominations that count but the reasons why they should be a winner which is important.
“The single ethos is on promoting business and if a business enters, it will get all the promotion that we can give them!”
The Italian Kitchen won the overall Purbeck business of the year award in 2024
Entry categories for 2024
The high street (town centre) impact award
The award is designed to recognise any business, team or individual that can demonstrate a significant impact in making the town a more vibrant, welcoming or sustainable place. The judges will recognise and reward initiatives that create high street (town centre) jobs, attract local residents and visitors, revitalise the town centre, or raise the profile. Measures to make the town centre/High St more green, clean and mixed use spaces will also be recognised by the judges.
Excellence in customer service
This award is open to businesses that can show flexibility, responsibility, and a clear focus on their customer service. They need to demonstrate a high level of customer satisfaction, setting the bar for their competitors to follow. Also, businesses should, if possible, give examples of any customer service training they have given to their team, whether on a one-to-one basis or group training.
Green business of the year
The judges are looking for local business entrants who show awareness of environmental issues and are working to be more environmentally friendly. Entrants will need to show they are focused on being ethical and socially responsible. The award is open to any local business, organisation, or individual that has included environmental improvements as part of their core business model and reduced waste.
New business of the year
Entries are invited from businesses less than three years old (as of September 2024) which have demonstrated enterprise, vision, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit when setting up a successful new business. Also, a clear vision as to how the business will develop in the future. The judges are looking for inspiring new businesses that will be seen as role models for other new businesses.
Young entrepreneur / rising star
This is a category where an individual can enter themselves or an employee and others can nominate local businesspeople they feel meet the criteria. The judges will be looking for a young person (35 or under) that is employed or runs their own business and are individuals who have demonstrated an exceptional contribution to the workplace or development of their own company. The judges will be looking for excellent performance, a real hands-on approach, initiative, and entrepreneurial spirit.
B2B business of the year
Open to any business that creates products and/or services for other businesses so that could include businesses that operate in accountancy, commercial legal work, IT and cyber security, car leasing, business funding, websites and marketing, sales training, hospitality supplies, security, insurance, telecommunications, HR etc. The entrants need to demonstrate how their services stand above their competitors, how they achieve excellent customer satisfaction and what makes them an award winner.
Best café, pub, casual dining
This award is open to cafes, coffee shops, bars, informal restaurants, pubs, etc – and any business that provides food and drink in a social area. Entrants should demonstrate excellence across every aspect of their business, outlining their long term aims to continue to improve their customer experience. They should detail any actions they have taken recently to cope with rising costs, staff shortages etc to remain successful and their plans for the future.
Best place to work
This category is open to all businesses and organisations (public and private sector) which can demonstrate they have created an outstanding workplace based on a set of values that has led to a committed, effective, and motivated workforce. Tell the judges what sets the business apart and how that has benefited the business/organisation and its employees. With stresses in recent years from Covid to rising running costs, say how the business has taken steps to take care of and help employees and customers.
Family business of the year
The winner of this award will have family members currently working in the business. The judges are looking for businesses which can articulate why that matters to the success of the business, while acknowledging the pros and cons of a family structure. Entrants will demonstrate what it means to be a family business and how (if applicable) non-family leaders are integrated. Businesses entering this award will need to specify the current family members leading the business.
Business innovation
This category is open to all businesses that can demonstrate how the use of digital practices and any other innovation i.e. machinery etc has enhanced their business and increased profit or brand awareness and helped save time and/or money. Digital to some companies is technology, for others a new way of engaging with customers and a new way of doing business. The judges will be looking for facts and figures to justify the win.
Community support
Open to any business, individual or organisation that can demonstrate commitment to the local community through services, fund raising or physical or mental support. In fact, any support or actions for their community’s benefit that are legal. So it could be a business that organises regular events to fundraise for its community or local charity, or a parent fundraising for their child’s school. It could be a church helping the homeless or a foodbank. The winner of this category will be a business, organisation or an individual that has consistently helped others with dedication and commitment. Entries should give examples of what has been done.
Independent business of the year
Open to any business that can demonstrate excellence across the board through ambition and innovation in their business sector. Details on how the business stands out from its competitors and achievements in the last year or so. Details on where the business wants to be in the next year. The judges will be looking for achievement in all aspects of the company, excellent leadership, a good sales and marketing strategy, commitment to staff development and training. Demonstrate the enterprise, vision, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit which makes the company a leading independent business.
The winners of the very first Purbeck Business Awards at the Kingston Country Courtyard in February 2023
“It just took off”
There are now 22 business awards a year across Dorset organised by Marketing West. Nigel Reeve said:
“It all started off in 2020 just before the Covid pandemic, when I was asked to run local business awards for Bridport in Dorset. The awards ceremony was the week before lockdown!
“But the pandemic meant that local businesses needed more support than ever and so I organised awards for Sherborne and it just took off, with Dorchester following next.
“The whole of Dorset is now covered and it’s good to see that we’re now planning the third business awards for Purbeck!”
Further information
- More about how to enter or nominate a business, plus all the details, are on the Purbeck Business Awards website
