Over 400 guests attended the Greater Newry Area Business Awards Ceremony in the Canal Court Hotel organised by Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade.

This high profile and prestigious event was guest hosted by Karen Patterson, BBC. It celebrated the very best that the Greater Newry Area business community has to offer and profiled the exceptionally high standard of business leadership, ambition, entrepreneurship and innovativeness which has become synonymous with this region.

Winners and finalists of this hotly contested business awards competition were announced on night, and with 21 awards presented to the crème of local business talent, there was plenty to celebrate at Greater Newry’s very own business Oscars.

260 applications from local businesses were entered into this awards competition. Stakeholder Communications, the independent adjudicators of the awards, were impressed by the high standard and volume of applications.

Dr Conor Patterson, President of Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade, stated, ‘we, are delighted with the success of this event amidst the challenges of the current economic climate. Our local businesses are continuing to innovate, investing in products and improved customer service, outperforming their peers across Ireland. This event celebrates and showcases their success. On behalf of the Newry Chamber, I would like to thank our principal sponsors, Newry & Mourne District Council, Amey Lagan Roads and the Department for Social Development, together with the sponsors of our individual awards for their support and commitment, without which this event would not have been possible. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all who entered the awards, for taking time out of their busy schedules to draft applications and to enter into the spirit of this independently adjudicated awards competition’.

‘Personally, I feel very proud that among this year’s awards were two special categories. Firstly the Outstanding Contribution to the Greater Newry Area Award was made to the two still serving founding Directors of the Newry Credit Union, Mr Arthur Morgan and Peter Connolly. The Credit Union is an extraordinary institution which has provided financial security for tens of thousands of Newry people for the last 46 years. And secondly, a Life Time Achievement Award for Services to the Retail Industry, which was awarded to Ms Louis Boyd; one of the most colourful successful and committed retailers in Newry’s history.

Mayor Mick Murphy said ‘On behalf of Newry and Mourne District Council, I am delighted to support and endorse this prestigious event. This competition provides a great opportunity for us all to celebrate the success of our local businesses. I would also like to congratulate Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade on their immense efforts in hosting this event’.

Mr Tony McAllister, AmeyLagan Roads stated, ‘We, in Amey Lagan Roads were delighted to be a Principal Sponsor of the Greater Newry Area Business Awards 2010. It provided us with an opportunity to not only acknowledge the support and understanding that we receive from the local community but also to assist the Newry Chamber of Commerce in its efforts to promote business excellence on a regional basis’.

Damian Mulholland, Department for Social Development said: “The Department is delighted to support these prestigious business awards. They provide an excellent opportunity for individual businesses to demonstrate excellence in their field and highlight their contribution to the economic development of the area. They also provide an opportunity to highlight the performance of companies and their employees. This is particularly important in a time when businesses are experiencing difficult trading conditions due to the effects of the economic downturn.”

WINNERS

Best Customer Service Award – Independent Retailer – Berling Sponsored by Savage & Whitten

Best Customer Service Award- Multiple Retailer- Belleek Pottery Sponsored by The Quays Shopping & Leisure Complex

Best Customer Service Award – Service Sector- Autoline Insurance Group Sponsored by Micro Computer Solutions Ltd (MSC)

Best Retail Premises Award- Bernadette Elizabeth Sponsored by Mauds Ice Cream

Best Commercial Premises Award- Parker Green International Sponsored by Management & Construction Ltd

Best Place to Eat Award- Restaurant 23 Sponsored by firmus energy

Best Pub/Bar Award- The Whistledown Hotel Sponsored by ITS New Media

Best New Business Award- The Zip Yard Sponsored by Ulster Bank

Best Young Business Person Award- Rory Buchanan, The F Experience Sponsored by Newry Junior Chamber

Best Small Business Award- Carneyhall Kennels Sponsored by PSNI

Best Green Business Award- Gorgeous Eco Baby Sponsored by Airtricity

Best Business Growth Award- First Derivatives Sponsored by FPM Chartered Accountants

Innovation in Industry Award- Environmental Products & Services Sponsored by Northern Bank

Best Marketing Initiative Award- Southern Health & Social Care Trust Sponsored by the Canal Court Hotel

Excellence in People Development Award- St Joseph’s Boys’ High School Sponsored by Southern Regional College

Best Social Corporate Responsibility Award – ParkerGreen International Sponsored by Bank of Ireland

Best Social Enterprise Award- Sticky Fingers Early Year’s Arts Sponsored by ParkerGreen International

Best Export Award- B/E Aerospace Sponsored by Invest Northern Ireland

Life Time Achievement Award for service to the Retail Industry- Louis Boyd Sponsored by Stakeholder Group

Outstanding Contribution to the Greater Newry Area Award- Arthur Morgan and Peter Connolly, Newry Credit Union Sponsored by Buttercrane Shopping Centre

The Southern Regional College has officially opened a new Retail Training Store at their Newry campus, Northern Ireland’s first purpose built retail training facility.

CEO Brian Doran welcomed over 100 guests, at least 60 of whom were retailers, to the launch of this new facility aimed at meeting the training needs of local retailers. He explained that the store would be used to deliver SRC’s wide range of retail training programmes across all levels.

The facility is also available to be used by local and regional retail specialists. SRC is committed to meeting the needs of local retailers and believes that a practical training environment will assist with the development of staff within this sector. Although this facility has opened in Newry, plans are already afoot to develop further training stores across some of the other campuses in the southern region.

In addition to meeting the needs of retailers, this training facility will also help to increase the demand among our school leavers to follow a career in retail. The retail sector is the largest and fastest growing private sector employer in Northern Ireland with approximately 9000 businesses and 82000 workers. However, over 25% of people working in retail have no qualifications. Mr Doran highlighted the fact that retail is one of the most diverse and exciting sectors to make a career in.

Glyn Roberts from NIIRTA (Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association) and Prof Barry Quinn from University of Ulster also spoke at the event. They praised the foresight of SRC in addressing the training and development needs of the retail sector. Mr Roberts said “NIIRTA fully support this excellent new retail training initiative by the Southern Regional College and would urge the other FE Colleges to follow their lead. It is our hope that this new Training Shop will help produce the independent retail entrepreneurs of the future and thus make a considerable contribution to both the expansion of our sector and indeed the private sector as a whole.” Dr Conor Patterson, President of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade officially declared the Retail Training Store open for business! He welcomed this facility as a much needed training environment for the retail sector of the southern region and beyond.

Speaking on behalf of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, Dr Patterson emphasised the importance of retail as a key employer in the greater Newry area. “The key skills needed for a successful career in Retail are transferable to many other sectors so it is an excellent training ground for careers in various other fields. Newry has always traditionally been a trading centre and this Retail Training Store is bringing this concept into the modern age.”

The training store is stocked with a number of items that were kindly donated by some local sponsors including The Good Food Shop, Gordons Chemists, Kellys Building Supplies, Around-A-Pound, Donaghys Shoes, O’ Reillys The Sweet People, Tayto, Sainsburys and Debenhams. Customer service and Merchandising/Visual Display training will be a key focus of the store.

Retail Apprenticeships and Retail Management will also be delivered. There will be master classes aimed at retail owner/managers including Category Management, Branding, Marketing for more Customers and Finance for Retail as well as a Retail Consultancy Service.

For more information on the Retail Training Store please contact Tracy Rice at the Business Support Centre, Newry Campus on 028 3025 9664 or email retail@src.ac.uk.