30 finalists set to take their places

One Oldham Business Awards 2012
FOLLOWING a marathon session judging a record number of entries, the shortlists have been announced for the 10 categories for the fourth One Oldham Business Awards.

All finalists will receive two free tickets for the gala dinner and presentation evening at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Oldham on Friday.

The event, which includes entertainment, a fun casino, a raffle with business-class return tickets from Manchester to Berlin courtesy of Lufthansa, and food prepared in the award-winning kitchens of The White Hart, Lydgate, is a sell out.

All of the 460 tickets have gone, says Steve Lowe, from title sponsors NatWest, adding: “We could easily have sold more.

“Demand has been astonishing really and I believe this indicates that Oldham’s business community is upbeat and getting back to business. No one is pretending we are out of the difficulties that have plagued the economy for three years, but here in Oldham we are definitely fighting back.”

Year-on-year the number of entries has risen to this year’s record of 114 across the ten categories.

Awards Steering Group chair Steve Kilroy, from BAE Systems, is convinced that the popularity of the awards is a result of Oldham’s fighting spirit, saying: “We are in tough times, there is no doubt about that, but the fact we keep raising the sponsorship, keep raising the bar in terms of standards and keep attracting a full house to the gala dinner shows that the business community remains optimistic, vibrant and enthusiastic.

“Without sponsors this event simply wouldn’t happen and we are delighted that once again we have been able to stage such a showpiece event.”

Oldham Youth Zone, due to open in weeks, and Dr Kershaw’s Hospice will benefit from raffles held on the night — a night when it seems like the whole of Oldham will celebrate all that is good about the borough’s business community.

The shortlist is revealed in a special supplement in tonight’s paper edition and e-Chron