Bridport’s finest businesses have been celebrated at the town’s inaugural business awards.

More than 50 local businesses attended the lunchtime ceremony at the Highlands End Holiday Park at Eype, near Bridport.

The award for Business of the Year – one of 11 categories –  was shared between Colmers Hill Fashion and West Dorset Leisure Holidays, pictured right.

Entries for the 2020 awards were a third higher than expected and covered a broad range of businesses from around the Bridport area.

Each entrant had a visit or call from an independent secret shopper who marked the company using pre-set criteria.

Event Organiser, Nigel Reeve, of Marketing West, pictured left, said: “The standard of marking across the board was extremely high, with many of the entrants separated by just a couple of points.

“Having a joint winner for Business of the Year reflected this.

“We’d like to congratulate all entrants on such a high standard of entries.

“It just shows the quality of businesses in the Bridport area.”

The winners were:

Best Window Display – Sponsored by Wessex FM

Naturalife

Best Layout and Product Range – Sponsored by DTHR Solutions

Washingpool

Best Community Involvement – Sponsored by Watershed PR

West Dorset Leisure Holidays

Most Welcoming Business – Sponsored by Higos Insurance Services

Parkers Property

Most Welcoming Telephone Manner – Sponsored by GDFS

Station Kitchen

Best Customer Service – Sponsored by IT Support 365

R J Balson and Son

New Business of the Year – Sponsored by St Michael’s Trading Estate

James Loveridge Photography

Retail Business of the Year – Sponsored by Bridport Business Chamber

Colmers Hill Fashion

Service Provider of the Year – Sponsored by Poundbury Wealth Management

Veritas Resolution

Local Restaurant/Caterer of the Year – Sponsored by Porter Dodson Solicitors

West Dorset Leisure Holidays

Business of the Year

Colmers Hill Fashion and West Dorset Leisure Holidays (joint winners)

The awards were self-financing through the sale of sponsorship.