The best in the business (From Gazette & Herald)

The best in the business

JUST three weeks into setting up her first business venture - a top line sandwich bar and catering enterprise - Janine Young feared she had lost everything when Malton suffered its worst town centre fire in memory last year.

But a historic passageway saved her business, Baps, in Wheelgate, while neighbouring shops were gutted in the fierce blaze.

Now, Janine has won a prestigious accolade in the Malton and Norton Business Awards - securing first place in the food and drink class.

"It was only the alleyway that stopped the fire from spreading into my shop," said Janine after receiving her award at the Green Man Hotel.

"I was on my own and I thought everything had gone," she said. Her business, set up with help from the Prince's Trust, is now one of the area's most popular lunchtime venues for many workers in Malton.

Because her business was stepped back from the pavement, many people believed Baps had been a victim of the fire. "But I put up a notice in the scaffolding outside the shop and people gave me tremendous support."

The business 'Oscars' were organised by Peter Mudge, the Malton and Norton town centre commercial manager, who said they had been a great success, with 400 nominations being put forward for a catalogue of businesses in the twin towns.

The winner of the retail section was Utopia, a business which moved from Malton to Norton after Robert Williams, who runs it with his wife, Larraine, created a new shop single-handed. The business specialises in gifts, greetings cards and furniture.

In the services section, Goodys hairdressers, of Malton, marked its 25th anniversary by taking first place, while the top honour in the associated business class went to BIS office supplies of York Road Industrial Park, established six years ago by Stuart Stead. The business sells office furniture, stationery, equipment and is a computer consultancy.

Runners-up in the classes were: associated businesses - Best Print, and Wallis; food and drink - Milton's Cafe and Wills Bar; retail - Linton Animal Foods and Fox's butcher's; services award - Goodys, Norton, and Streekz, hairdressers.

Businesses nominated in each class were - Retail - Fox's butchers, Linton Animal Foods, John Piercy's, Utopia, Beecham's Health Shop, Sandra's Dresses, Silver Thimble, George Woodall and Sons, Harrison Hargreaves, Malton Fisheries, Rounthwaite and Woodhead, Beecham's chemists, Boarding Edge and Wallis.

Services - Boots, Spec Savers, Goodys, Malton and Norton, Wendy's haidressers, The Cutting Room, Rounthwaite and Woodhead, Ryedale Palace Cinema, Streekz.

Food and drink - Milton's cafe, Wills Bar, Baps, Snak Attack, Whistle Stop Cafe, Derwent Arms, Cornucopia, Florios, Leonis, Fine Food Theatre, and Suddaby's Crown Hotel.

Associated businesses - BIS office supplies, The Old Lodge, Ryedale Voluntary Action, Pro Pak, Best Print, and Malton Laser.

The awards were presented by Coun Jane Wilford and Keith Herdman, of HSBC, who sponsored the event along with Yorkshire Forward, Malton and Norton Area Partnership and Town Centre Management Ltd.

Jason Fitzgerald-Smith chairman of the town centre management company, said the awards brought businesses in Malton and Norton together. "The more we talk up our towns, the more vibrant they will become and this will benefit the local economy."

Mr Mudge told the large crowd of business leaders that Malton and Norton were on target to get broadband technology adding: "We only need 74 more names to register."

He said that the town centres were shortly to get uniform street furniture and hanging baskets.

A new scheme could shortly be of benefit to the two towns, said Mr Mudge. Business Improvement Districts, which is being launched by the government within the next two years, would be an asset to local enterprises, he said.

Updated: 13:35 Wednesday, April 16, 2003