Chamber of Commerce Business Awards celebrate commercial success of Wellingborough and East Northamptonshire companies

The winners of the five awards on offer were invited to the front for photos

Here are the winners

The Wellingborough & East Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards took place today (Wednesday) with local companies being recognised for their efforts in 2022.

Held at Wellingborough Golf Club, Harrowden Hall, the event was in recognition of local businesses to celebrate their commercial success through the year.

Five categories had awards up for grabs, including Services Business of the Year, Retail Business of the Year, and Chamber Community Award. It was credited as an event that ‘celebrates local businesses and how well they’re doing’ by Pritesh Ganatra, president of the Wellingborough and East Northants Chamber of Commerce, who also acknowledged the healthy turnout on the day.

Attendees were given the opportunity to network before the awards were given

The awards were presented from 9.30am, and the winners were as follows:

Services Business of the Year

Winner: AJS Express Parcels LTD

Runner-Up: Oak Lane Cleaning Company

Wellingborough & East Northants Chamber of Commerce Business Awards were held at Harrowden Hall

Retail Business of the Year

Winner: Wine Chateau LTD

Runner-Up: Millers Yarns and Crafts

Industry Award

Winner: AJS Express Parcels LTD

Runner-Up: Wine Chateau LTD

Chamber Community Award

Winner: Alisa’s Aim

Runner-Up: NNBN

Excellence Hero Award

Winner: The Chester House Estate

Runner-Up: AJS Express Parcels LTD

AJS Express Parcels was the big winner of the event, taking home two awards and being a runner-up in one more. Tony Spooner, founder and managing director of the company, said: “To be recognised is amazing.”

He added: "The difficulties that businesses have faced [during the Covid-19 pandemic] have been huge.”

The company began trading in 2018, and was awarded ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2019 SME Northants Business Awards. The pair of prizes the company won at the event today are significant additions to the collection.

The Wellingborough & East Northants Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1932 to represent the interests of local businesses, and in 2019 expanded to include towns such as Higham Ferrers, Irthlingborough, Oundle, Raunds, Rushden and Thrapston.

After a brief welcome from Pritesh Ganatra, attendees were greeted by an address from Richard Osbourne, founder of the Business Data Group. He gave some background information and insight into a troubled childhood and going wherever the wind blew him, ‘going to work seven days a week’.

He said: “Running a business puts you in control of your destiny to create a better life.”