SAVVY businesses and businesspeople were awarded for their efforts and success at this years Chippenham BID Business Awards.

Organised by Chippenham BID and title sponsors Awdry Bailey and Douglas, the hard work, dedication, innovation, efforts and successes of businesses in and around Chippenham which make up the town’s thriving industries were recognised.

The Chippenham Business Awards was sponsored by several local businesses including Berkley Square Private Clients Ltd., 24-7 Staffing, The Angel Hotel, Avagio IT, Naturally Social, Platinum Mortgage Solutions and Wiltshire College

Tom Paget, of Awdry Bailey & Douglas, said: "We would like to say well done to all of the finalists this year who were all worthy of an award but we must of course congratulate the winners and in particular The Garden as deserving winners of Chippenham Business of the Year. We had a fantastic evening celebrating with everyone there and would like to thank Chippenham BID for putting on such a great event which we are proud to support."

The evening was hosted by special guest Marc Allum, a regular specialist on the Antiques Roadshow.

The Garden, which picked up the Chippenham Business of the Year award, and Hotel, Restaurant or Café of the Year Award only recently celebrated its third birthday. It comes a year since reopening after a fire closed the business.

John Paine, posted to The Garden's Facebook page shortly after the awards: So happy to receive these accolades at the Chippenham business awards last night. I just want to say a big thank you to all of the staff at The Garden for making the business such a success and especially to Marge, Phil, Jay and Gemma who have been on the rollercoaster with me since before the fire.”

Kathryn Crosweller of Chippenham BID said, “The Chippenham Business Awards offer local businesses the opportunity to reflect on their achievements and be recognised in the community for the hard work they put into their companies. It was wonderful to work with such a wide range of sponsors on this event and to be able to celebrate with the winners. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event."

The winners were: Apprentice of the Year, Ben Lisseman of Digiprint; Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Cheryl Klukowski Stevenson of Taste of the Carribean and Chocolate Blonde; Professional Services Provider of the Year, Goughs Solicitors; Hotel, Restaurant or Café of the Year, The Garden, Chippenham; Creative or Technology Business of the Year, City Dressing; Customer Service Award, Bewley and Merrett Funeral Directors; Start-Up Business of the Year, Maria Christina Bridal Boutique; Small Business of the Year, Huw Thomas Commercial; Independent Business of the Year, J Sheppard and Son Ltd; Lifetime Achievement Award, Rick Squires; Chippenham Business of the Year, The Garden, Chippenham.