News

Water winner! London Duck Tours scoops top Lambeth Business Award

24/02/2010
Water winner! London Duck Tours scoops top Lambeth Business Award

It is awards season, and Lambeth has been joining in the celebrations. Lambeth First funded the Lambeth Business Awards ceremony, which took place on Tuesday 23 February at the Brit Oval. The London Duck Tours - with its iconic bright yellow amphibious vehicles - sailed into first place to scoop the coveted Lambeth Business of the Year 2010 award.

John Bigos, managing director of London Duck Tours, commented; "It's a magnificent award. We've worked hard over the last six to seven years, and to get people to vote for us is just fantastic."

More than 300 people attended the event which was hosted by TV journalist Ronke Phillips to hear the winners announced.

Ian Jackson, Director of Lambeth First, said that the Awards revealed the passion and ambition of local businesses. "Making Lambeth a great place to do business is an integral part of our work and we're very proud to support the event."

There were 11 categories covering a wide range of business areas including Best Green Business, Best Young Entrepreneur and Market Trader of the Year. The winners of all categories were awarded a certificate, a trophy, and a share of the £10,000 prize fund.

The judging panel was hard pushed to name an overall winner as the standard of entrants was high across all categories. Councillor John Kazantzis, Lambeth cabinet member for employment and enterprise, and judging panel member said: "It was an honour and a pleasure to judge the Lambeth Business Awards and once again I was hugely impressed by the quality of flourishing businesses across Lambeth in what has been a challenging economic climate over the past year".

Lambeth First partner Emmaus South London was also highly commended in the Best Social Enterprise category.

General Manager James Hayes was delighted with the result. "It's vitally important to us that our Companions (formerly homeless people) receive the recognition that they deserve", he said. "They voluntarily help reduce taxpayer spending by signing off on Jobseekers Allowance and decrease landfill pollution through their work recycling donated goods."

Other category and award winners, highly commended and commended firms were:

Best Cultural and Creative Business sponsored by GLE oneLondon
Winner: Porous Designs
Highly Commended: Futures Theatre Company
Commended: Allbone and Trimit

Best Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism Business sponsored by Business Link
Winner: London Duck Tours
Highly Commended: SCHMIDT's restaurant
Commended: South Bank Employers' Group

Best Young Entrepreneur sponsored by Lambeth College
Winner: Antoine Detrie. La Petite Bretagne.
Highly Commended: Nicholas Maund. Hackett UK.
Commended: Malachi Talabi. Raw Love UK.

Best Social Enterprise sponsored by A4E
Winner: Street League
Highly Commended: Emmaus South London
Commended: Vauxhall City Farm

Best Independent Retailer - sponsored by Simple Business Solutions
Winner: Dust Boutique
Highly Commended: Flowers24hours.co.uk
Commended: Firebox.com

Best Green Business sponsored by Veolia Environment Services
Winner: Waterloo Quarter BID
Highly Commended: Flowers24hours.co.uk
Commended: Eden Caters

Best Employer sponsored by MJF Corporate Guarding
Winner: Political Lobbying and Media Relations Ltd
Highly Commended: Co-operative systems
Commended: XLN Telecom

Best Woman in Business sponsored by Lambeth College
Winner: Caroline Bryant. Futures Theatre Company.
Highly Commended: Mardi Jamieson. Brixton Therapy Centre.
Commended: Ramona Solomon. Excellence Tuition

The Innovation Award sponsored by London South Bank University
Winner: Laundry Republic
Highly Commended: Flowers24hours.co.uk
Commended: Physics Concepts

Best Customer Service sponsored by Pitney Bowes
Winner: London Duck Tours
Highly Commended: Political Lobbying and Media Relations
Commended: Excellence Tuition

Market Trader of the Year sponsored by South London Press
Winner: Rosalind's Catering
Highly Commended: La Petite Bretagne
Commended: Stuart the Watchman

Go back to News listings