BAHBAs 2009

Some of the Brighton’s biggest and best – and youngest and newest – make the 2009 list of 37 BAHBA finalists.

For the sixth consecutive year, the BAHBAs have attracted an increasing number of entries from all sectors of the city – particularly digital.

A recent report named Brighton as one of five ‘supercities’ focussing on new economic endeavours, such as  digital media and broadcasting, which will be the focus of the country’s economy over the next 20 years.  And this is certainly reflected in the 2009 shortlist which features 13 companies of this nature.

One of the digital companies who entered for the first time this year, Blast Theory, has been shortlisted in two categories.

The award for “New Kids on the Block”, sponsored by Royal Mail, remains the most popular category of all and shows that, despite the recession, Brighton is still home to a number of successful start-ups.  The shortlist features four completely different businesses – a patisserie, a taxi service, a book shop and a sound production company.

Two companies will be defending their titles this year.  The Hotel du Vin, which has won Best Place to Entertain Your Clients for two years running, will be hoping to take the trophy for a record-breaking third time whilst The Duke of York’s Picturehouse will be defending its title of Best Customer Service for the second year.

Tony Mernagh, Executive Director of the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership, took the Chair to lead the judges in their decisions this year.  He was joined by representatives of Sussex Innovation Centre, MdHub, Wired Sussex, Acumen Business Law, Nido Marketing and sponsor representatives.

Commenting on the entries: “The quality of the applicants goes from strength to strength and I am constantly amazed at the number of clearly world class businesses we have right here in the city. The judging gets harder every year because there are just so many great applicants to choose from.”

There are two new categories for 2008.

The Most Awesome use of Social Media is sponsored by NixonMcInnes and seeks to identify those individuals, companies and organisations which do most to raise the bar and enhance Brighton’s reputation for delivering digital goodness on a global scale.

The Award for Equality and Diversity in the Workplace celebrates the efforts of businesses in Brighton & Hove to realise the potential of everyone in the local labour market by applying good equality and diversity practices in the workplace.

It will be sponsored by The Brighton & Hove LEADER Group, a network organisation committed to maximising opportunities for employers in the area to realise the potential of our diverse workforce. The Group includes Brighton & Hove City Council, DMH Stallard, EOPPS, Sussex Hospitals, Sussex University, Brighton University and Quantum Recruitment.