The Merton Best Business Awards 2019 entered its 7th year running this year with the official launch last night, hosted by the Merton Chamber at the highly innovative ‘Taste’ Restaurant in South Thames College.
Diana Sterck, opened the event and ran through the structure of the evening before introducing Chris Lee, Director of Environment and Regeneration from Merton Council. Our very own Simon Marsh, partner of WSM Advisors then delivered a very uplifting and motivational speech with a touch of humour as he always does, starting with an apology for those in the crowd who were expecting an update from from Laura Kuenssberg or Katya Adler on Brexit! But went on to say how the Merton Best Business Awards provided the ideal opportunity to showcase the talent, dedication and success of individual businesses in the borough.
See Simon's speech below.
Welcome to the Best Business Awards which according to that phrase from a well known EU brewer are probably the best Business Awards in the World or at least the EU at least for the moment the even bigger and even better Merton Best Business Awards 2019!
Bigger and better with the continued support of WSM as headline sponsor and it is our pleasure to be supporting these awards again this year and to be working alongside our fellow headline sponsors Merton Council and all the other sponsors who are here with us tonight and Bigger and Better because with all the issues brought to us by Brexit UK businesses including all those in Merton are going to have to be bigger and better in 2019 and into the future to make our economy and our communities thrive. Closing Date 21 June 2019 – by when we may have left the EU or may be not! Awards 26 September 2019 – by when we may have left the EU or may be not! And I am very confident that the Merton business community is equal to the task regardless of what the politicians do. We have within the borough an extraordinary array of business talent across a wide range of sectors – many industrious, determined and able entrepreneurs making business happen. That talent deserves a proper showcase. Not only for the benefit of the entrepreneurs and their teams working in the business but also for the rest of Merton to see very clearly what a vibrant, adept and successful business community we have in the borough. WSM are headline sponsors to ensure Merton businesses have that showcase in the Merton Best Business Awards. So to all those businesses in the borough – to all the very best of you entrepreneurs – enter the Merton Best Business Awards show that you are bigger and better than Brexit and help us to help you celebrate your success.
Ryan O’Sullivan from RyGas Ltd who won overall Merton Best Business and Best Service Excellence last year was then interviewed by Diana and asked how things had changed for him and his company since winning the awards to which he replied “It has given us invaluable status within our industry and this has led to our phone ringing much more!”
So don’t miss the chance to enter your business, do it now!
Entry is FREE and this year there are 16 categories including three public votes and two special awards. To enter go to: www.mertonbestbusiness.co.uk or call 0208 944 5501 or email, awards@mertonchamber.co.uk
Thank you to all the catering students for the exceptional array of canapes they produced throughout the event and to Diana and the Merton Chamber team for another enjoyable and successful event.
Our thanks to Soora Photography for capturing the evening.