Award-winning business is booming in Weston-super-Mare

A showcase event for Weston-super-Mare businesses has won a top award.

At the Business Insider South West Property Awards 2012 this month at the Thistle Grand Hotel in Bristol, the 'marketing campaign of the year' award was given to the Weston Showcase, organised by North Somerset Council.

The award was open to entries from both the private and public sector and this new category was designed to recognise those who've put in hard work and been creative in either marketing property directly or putting in place the conditions for developers and landlords to prosper. 

It could be a marketing or brand campaign for a specific building or scheme, or an event designed to bring in inward investors to a town or city. 

The Weston Showcase event itself was held in March at the Winter Gardens and attended by more than 200 businesses, financial institutions, commercial businesses and organisations giving business support. 

It was organised to promote Weston as an area to do business in and highlighted the investment opportunities available across the town and particularly at the Junction 21 Enterprise Area.

The judges decided: "North Somerset Council's entry detailed a specific event showcasing Weston-super-Mare's raft of live and ready-to-go development schemes and opportunities. 

"The event proved to be a triumph, with the council pulling together the developers and investors with projects to shout from the rooftops that Weston means business. 

"Clearly a lot of effort and planning went into this event and ongoing efforts to support developers." 

Business Insider South West editor Neil Tague said: "Marketing campaign of the year is a new award we've introduced to recognise the importance of marketing and developing a compelling story to give potential investors about a town or city. 

"The Weston Showcase had a sense of vibrancy and positivity that isn't always present in such events and gave attendees some sense of the ambition of North Somerset." 

Working closely with developers, agents, West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, local businesses and business support organisations, the economic development service at North Somerset Council organised the event to promote the £150m investment in the town centre during the past five years and to highlight the increasing opportunities available across the town and in J21EA for business development.  

North Somerset Council deputy leader Elfan Ap Rees whose portfolio includes economic development said: "Our economic development team is to be congratulated for putting Weston-super-Mare firmly on the business map, demonstrating to all that Weston is 'ready to go' and there has never been a better time to invest, locate or expand your business in the town."

Andrew Scott of the Ascot Group took part in one of the Business Insider interviews which helped to launch the showcase event.

He said: "Not only was the Weston Showcase a key event in the business calendar and a worthwhile exercise to showcase the developments that are coming to fruition in Weston, it is still very much on the radar of the business community and has definitely helped us to further raise the profile of Weston across the region."

The 'Weston - ready to go' promotional brochure was produced for the event and includes business images, quotes and endorsements. 

It can be downloaded by clicking HERE or a hard copy can be obtained by emailing business@n-somerset.gov.uk or calling 01934 426 266.

Judging entries under each of the categories at the Business Insider South West Property Awards 2012 were: Stephen Atkinson, of Aukett Fitzroy Robinson; Andrew Covell, of Faithful & Gould and the RICS; Richard Davis, of Kier and the Forum for the Built Environment; Andrew Main, of Savills and Jo Williams, of Ridge LLP and Women in Property.