Prestigious business awards are back to celebrate local legends and rising stars
CHEERS! It’s time again to raise a glass in celebration of the businesses which are the local legends or rising stars of Gosport.
After a successful launch in 2024 the Gosport Business Awards are back again this year and are now open for entries. Celebrating the diverse and vital contributions businesses make to the local economy across the borough, this exciting initiative is being run by The News in association with sponsors Gosport Borough Council and partners St Vincent College and the Powder Monkey Group.
And back for a second year as headline sponsor is StandardAero, the Gosport-based global aviation maintenance and repair hub .
In launching the awards, Simon Jones, Managing Director of StandardAero UK, said: “StandardAero is extremely proud to once again be the headline sponsor of the Gosport Business Awards for 2025, celebrating the successes and endeavours of enterprises in our community. We are fortunate to be in a town with such a rich tapestry of local businesses, all of which are a testament to the motivation, spirit and drive of the people of Gosport.’
The awards are free to enter for businesses across the borough and cover nine categories. The winners - including one overall champion - will be unveiled at a celebration evening at the college's Jervis Gallery on Thursday, November 27. The categories are:
- Independent Small Business of the Year
- Commitment to Supporting Talent in Business
- Community Contribution Award
- Independent Retail Business of the Year
- Independent Tourism/Hospitality Business of the Year
- Independent Cultural and Creativity Business of the Year
- Commitment to Sustainability Award
- Start-up Business of the Year
- Overall Business Award (selected from winners of the above)
The deadline for entries is Friday, October 17. To enter businesses can fill in a nomination form on the dedicated Gosport Business Awards page on the council’s website.
Cllr Peter Chegwyn, Gosport Borough Council Leader, said: “Gosport’s business community is at the heart of our local economy, driving growth and creating opportunities for everyone in the borough. From innovative start-ups and independent shops to thriving retail and tourism businesses, their dedication, creativity, and hard work deserve to be celebrated alongside our larger businesses. We’re proud to support these awards, shining a spotlight on the businesses that are shaping a brighter future for Gosport."
Andy Grant, Executive Principal of St Vincent College, said it was also ‘delighted’ to be supporting the awards again. He added: ‘The awards provide not only the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the success of our developing business sector, but also the chance to develop partnerships and collaboration across the region’.
Powder Monkey walked away with the best heritage award last year but is back this year as one of the event’s key partners and will be in charge of the hospitality for the evening of celebration.
Andy Burdon, CEO of Powder Monkey Group, said: “Despite the growth and operations we now have in the UK and Australia, the heart of our business will always lie in Gosport where the business started and offers so much to a wide variety of commerce.”
Mark Waldron, Editor in Chief of The News, said: ‘ We had so much fun celebrating the best businesses in the borough in 2024 that we wanted to do it all over again. There was such a wide range of winners and it was great to see the whole community come together to celebrate what Gosport has to offer.
‘And if you are interested in sponsoring the awards then you can learn more about our opportunities by emailing [email protected].’