Businesses from Wandsworth have been shortlisted for the prestigious RBS South London Business Awards 2009.
The annual competition showcases and rewards businesses ranging from one-person operations to companies employing hundreds of people.
There are 11 categories and the finalists have been drawn from entrants across the 12 boroughs south of the Thames. One of the 11 winners will also be crowned Business of Year.
Winners will be announced at a showcase ‘Oscar’ ceremony on May 20 in a lavish marquee on the pitch at Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace Football Club.
Wandsworth’s Eddie Catz Ltd is one of the finalists in the Best Medium Sized Business category. The children’s entertainment company offers the ultimate urban play space for children under the age of ten and their families looking for a fun place that also serves healthy food.
The company, a previous winner of the Wandsworth Business Awards, runs centres in Wimbledon and Putney with a further centre due to come on stream soon. Outreach services also bring the fun to children in the community. The company estimates that around 100,000 children each year are ‘edutained’ using its facilities.
Darren Johnson, director and co-founder comments: “The team is thrilled to be nominated in the Best Medium Sized Business category. We were originally thinking of entering the Small Business category but we have grown as an organisation. Our growth over the past few years has been cautious, but steady and we have many staff who have been with us from the beginning.”
Another local business with a place in the finals is Balham’s Independent Mindbodysoul Ltd which competes for the Entrepreneur of the Year prize.
Vicky Stothard opened the business in 2005 after living in Balham for ten years and getting fed up with the commute to the West End to find good quality hair and beauty establishments.
She left her job in the City and opened the salon on Balham High Road in 2005 – taking advantage of the council’s Town Centre Improvement Scheme to help with refurbishment costs.
Her business philosophy is to offer unparalleled service in luxurious surroundings using the highest quality products for hair, health and beauty. The company has since been voted a Top 50 salon by Timeout Magazine and was named overall winner of the 2006 Wandsworth Business Awards.
Vicky says: “I am very pleased to be a finalist again at the South London Business Awards as it is a prestigious award to be associated with. Every year we have been nominated and have taken a table and I have brought my top performing staff. Its always a great motivational night out and really focuses the minds of all involved.”
Devereux Architects, based in Putney, is shortlisted in the Best Business for Innovation category.
The company is rated one of the top 50 architectural practices in the UK. They offer a broad range of services focussed on architecture and urban design and also cost consultancy, project management, health and safety and master planning.
Office manager Taryn Vaughan comments: “We are absolutely delighted to be shortlisted in the Best Business for Innovation category. We are an established but growing business in South London and are working very hard to expand our services in the region and beyond during these difficult economic times. Innovation is at the core of our business. It is what we do; designing, creating, developing.”
Competing in the Best Small Business Category is residential lettings agency Samuel Estates who recently opened a new branch in Balham.
Managing director Nick Samuel says: “Doing well at this particular time requires maximum commitment from every member of staff. These awards highlight the quality, care and effort we put into the work we do for our customers and it is a great reward for sheer hard work.”
The Awards are sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland, supported by the Learning and Skills Council, solicitors Thackray Williams LLP, Tentacle Design, business to business specialists Ixion Holdings Ltd, transport organisations SWELTRAC and SELTRANS, the South London Export Club and the Guardian/News Shopper as media partner.
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(A copy of the above press release can be found on the Wandsworth Council web site at http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/Home/MyWandsworth/Pressreleases/newspage_detail.htm?id=6366)
