A Toast to success in Surrey
The first "Toast of Surrey Business Awards" ceremony was staged in style at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford on 23rd February. Established by the Surrey Advertiser and 96.4 The Eagle, the awards paid tribute to a wide spectrum of business achievement.
All the judges agreed that the quality of entries was first class and they had a tough time doing the shortlisting and making the final decision following the lengthy visits to these organisations.
Smith & Williamson sponsored the category for businesses with ‘Turnover Up To £10 million'. Stephen Briggs, Head of Assurance & Business Services at the Guildford office commented "This category was particularly competitive and we were lucky enough to visit four companies that Surrey can really be proud of."
Guildford-based BTU Heating was the winner of this category and has been based at Weyside Road since 1963. The company has enjoyed its most finally successful year to date and places great importance on its environmental policy as well as helping other clients and local authorities to reduce their carbon footprints.
Paul Merritt, Chief Executive of the BTU Group of Companies, commented on winning the award: "A very proud moment. Although we were finalists, due to the high calibre of entrants we never expected to win! Awards such as these are essential for Surrey to raise the profile of good local businesses and we are honoured to have been included."
Briggs continued "What was particularly exciting was the broad range of business activities covered by the individual entries.
In addition they all came across as dynamic entities in their own right that were adding value to the services they provided and succeeding in making a difference in their chosen fields. It was really quite a tough choice to select just one company as a winner!
As a judge what was also very interesting was to see different companies across the various categories each at different stages of their development.
It was clear that all companies, their founders and employees were taking part in a journey and as we visited the businesses within the larger categories it was pleasing to see what the newer business owners could both aspire to and hopefully achieve in the future.
I believe this bodes well for the future of our local economy and notwithstanding the current difficult times all entrants can celebrate being part of the Toast of Surrey."
For further information, contact:
Stephen Briggs, director, Assurance & Business Services at Smith & Williamson
Tel: 01483 407139
For press enquiries, contact:
Jess Koslow 020 7131 4264
Kate Harrison 020 7131 4228
Disclaimer
By necessity, this briefing can only provide a short overview and it is essential to seek professional advice before applying the contents of this article. No responsibility can be taken for any loss arising from action taken or refrained from on the basis of this publication. Details correct at time of writing.
Note to editor
Smith & Williamson is an independent professional and financial services group employing over 1,500 people. The group is a leading provider of investment management, financial advisory and accountancy services to private clients, professional practices and mid-to-large corporates. It operates from offices in London, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Glasgow, Guildford, Maidstone, North London, Salisbury, Southampton and Worcester. Nexia Smith & Williamson is the audit practice of Smith & Williamson and is an independent company.
Smith & Williamson Limited Regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for a range of investment business activities. A member of Nexia International.
Nexia Smith & Williamson Audit Limited Registered to carry on audit work and regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for a range of investment business activities. A member of Nexia International.
