Several Newtown businesses are this week still celebrating after being named winners at the annual Powys Business Awards.
The awards were held at Theatr Hafren last Friday, attracting guests and businesses from throughout the county.
Hilltop Honey, based in Newtown, collected the Growth Award. Guests heard how Hilltop Honey founder and managing director Scott Davies and his team had overcome a series of huge challenges to grow the business from £20m to £33m in the last year. Formed in 2011, the company now has 117 employees.
After receiving the awards, he added: “It’s humbling to win the Entrepreneurship Award after starting my business 12 years ago. It’s recognition of all the challenges I have had to overcome and a lot of hard work."
EOM Electrical Contractors, which has a workforce of 36 based on the Mochdre Industrial Estate, won the Small Business Growth Award.
Receiving the award, Mike Mills, General Manager, said: “This award is great recognition of all the hard work by the team in the last three years. I have the best job in the world because I am surrounded by brilliant, innovative and enthusiastic people.”
Pave Aways Ltd, which has an office in Newtown, won the People Development Award.
By training a new generation of skilled workers, Pave Aways says it’s making a real difference in filling a recognised construction skills gap. Sixteen per cent of the workforce is either apprentices or trainees and the company is a member of the 5% Club, a national movement committed to investing in new talent.
“Our commitment to developing the skills of our workforce is reflected in our staff retention rate - more than half of employees have worked for us for more than five years,” said Michelle Benjamin, Pave Aways’ training manager.
“We believe it is our culture of fostering skills and people development that sets us apart from other businesses.”
The Abermule Inn near Newtown won the Judges Award at the business awards. Employing 23 staff, Amye Pickstock and Jake Sampson took over the lease of The Abermule Inn at the end of the pandemic in September 2021 and have not looked back.
They focus on using local food suppliers wherever possible and chef Jake constantly changes the menu to try out new ideas to tempt customers. The couple caters for weddings, wakes, christenings and parties, receiving great feedback for their food and hospitality.
“We do our utmost to cater for everyone's needs,” said Amye. “We also do our very best to support local charities, particularly Ponthafren, a mental health charity that is close to our hearts.”