Business Awards

Winchester Business Excellence Awards recognises the achievements of local businesses and reward them for their commitment to excellence.

Organised by partners Winchester Business Improvement District, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and The Hampshire Chronicle, the competition attracts high profile industry support and offers Winchester businesses the opportunity to promote major achievements and celebrate success.

Click here for more information about the Winchester Business Excellence Awards. https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/17445982.winchester-business-excellence-awards-enter-now/

Digital Innovation Award - Sponsored by Winchester City Council

The Winner of this award must demonstrate the use of innovative digital technology and have plans in place to develop this in the future. The award celebrates the digital ideas that have the greatest influence on an organisation or industry.

The judges will be looking for evidence of the use of digital innovation:

• Within your organisation ( examples could include the use of virtual reality, drones or apps but this is not exhaustive) and improved business performance as a result.
• To demonstrate sustainable process efficiency.
• To influence future growth.
• To reduce carbon emissions.

Winchester City Council's tireless work to help small businesses has been recognised with a prestigious award. The Council was named the winner in the 'Most Innovative Small Business Friendly Award' category in the Federation of Small Business (FSB) Wessex Local Authority Business Friendly Awards 2019.

The award which is open to all local authorities in Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset celebrates campaigns or projects that have been innovative and beneficial to local small businesses.

Last year the council held two successful unique events aimed at smaller businesses. These were the Unconference in May 2018, where 100 participants from local businesses set the agenda for the day on the theme of making Winchester a premier business location. The second event, Hack WInchester, which took place a few months later in September 2018, picked up on the themes identified at Unconference and looked closely at digital solutions to the issues raised.

One outcome of the Hack discussions is that a free outdoor public Wi-Fi network would be beneficial to the city. This is being installed and will go live later this year.

Winchester City Council Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Cllr Anne Weir, said:

“I am delighted to see all the hard work of our officers, ensuring small businesses thrive in Winchester, has been recognised.

“We know that Winchester is somewhere businesses of all sizes can flourish and we will continue to provide unique opportunities like Unconference and Hack Winchester so the city maintains its vibrant local economy.”