THE initial stages of judging have taken place for this year’s Inspire Business awards.

Three finalists for all 13 categories have been announced with representation of business of all types, sizes and spread across the whole of north Hampshire with finalist businesses from Basingstoke, Andover, Fleet and Farnborough.

North Hampshire is home to a huge number of successful businesses and the finalists are testament to that. In addition to the winner of each category, there will be a winner of the Business of the Year chosen by the judging panel from the winners of each category.

John Biffen, of Menzies and Chair of the INSPIRE Steering Group said: “There is such a variety of business across the region and we received high quality entries in all categories.

“Now we are looking forward to finding out more by visiting each of the finalist businesses so we can make our final decision on the winner – and it looks like it will be a very difficult, but very enjoyable task ahead.”

With the finalists now being selected, the next stage of judging will take place ready for the winner to be announced at the gala dinner to be held on Thursday, November 21 at the Hampshire Court Hotel.

Below are a list of finalists for this year’s awards:

1. Business of the Year (Large – Over £5 million turnover) sponsored by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

• UL

• CV Library

• Exclaimer

2. Business of the Year (Medium – Turnover £501k to £5 million)– sponsored by Priority Appointments

• ACG Architects

• Crayside Consulting

• Bakedin

3. Business of the Year (Small Turnover under £500k)– sponsored by Perpetual Flowers

• The Topiary

• Safe Hands Bookkeeping

• Apps in the Sky

4. New Business of the Year – sponsored by Hart District Council

• The Purefoy Arms

• Funk and Twist

• Chennai Express

5. Business and Community – sponsored by Basingstoke Gazette

• The Apollo Hotel

• Taylor’s Hair & Beauty

• Sovereign Housing Association

6. Employer of the Year – sponsored by HR Dept

• Reassured

• Active Staff

• Abstract Print & Design

7. Apprentice of the Year – sponsored by University of Winchester

• Emily Bartley from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

• Ben Andrews from iWaste

• Harry Morgan from VuePoint

8. Innovation Excellence – sponsored by Lilly UK

• Farleygreene

• Cevitr

• AECOM

9. Service Excellence – sponsored by Festival Place

• UK Cloud

• DCSL Software

• The Salon at Old Basing

10. Young Business Person of the Year – sponsored by Sovereign Housing

• Lucy Fisher – The Parlour Tearooms

• George Robinson – Bradbury Robinson

• Jasmine McCarthy – Caterpillar Music

11. Environmental Responsibility Award – sponsored by Vitacress

• Festival Place

• The Crowne Plaza Hotel

• Roupcycle

12. Hospitality Business of the Year– sponsored by Minuteman Press

• The Crowne Plaza Hotel

• Oakley Hall

• The Purefoy Arms