THE FINALISTS for this year's Business Festival Awards have been announced.

In all, 22 companies will battle it out in eight different categories at the gala awards dinner, due to take place on Thursday evening, at Malvern Theatres, in Malvern.

The finalists represent a wide range of industry sectors, including construction, accountancy, children's nurseries, hotels and training organisations.

Together they represent the cream of the business community in the two counties.

The awards will take place following the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Business Festival, due to take place during the day, at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

Some of the 2003 award finalists have been nominated for the second year running.

Thomas Vale Construction, in Stourport, was a finalist last year in the Business of the Year category and also the Linking Education and Business category.

This year, the company has been short-listed again for both awards.

Also in the running for the Business of the Year award, for the second year running, is Bizz Energy, based in Warndon, Worcester.

The company, which supplies energy to businesses, is also short-listed for the Best Service Company of the Year, a new award introduced this year that recognises companies who provide excellent customer service.

The third finalist for the Business of the Year award is Oakland International, a distribution, storage and contract packaging facility for food products, in Redditch.

Some of this year's finalists took home prizes at last year's inaugural awards.

Concern Universal, a Hereford-based international development charity, last year took out the Community Business of the Year award.

This year, it has been short-listed for the Linking Education and Business award, along with Thomas Vale Construction and Herefordshire Group Training Association, a training provider for the manufacturing sector.

Difficult

Charlotte Cunningham, Business Festival manager, said there had been a lot of entries for the awards and they had been of a very high quality, making it very difficult for the judges.

There will also be a new category for Small Business of the Year, to reward businesses that can demonstrate financial success, a competitive edge and a clear vision for the future.

Finalists in this category include The Fountain Inn, Tenbury Wells, a family-owned restaurant, hotel and pub that has won national awards, Pearl Lake Leisure Park, a five-star holiday home park, in Hereford, and Bright Kids, a childcare provider, in Redditch.

FESTIVAL AWARDS FINALISTS

THE finalists for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Business Festival Awards have been announced.

The winners in each category will be announced at the Gala Awards Dinner, at Malvern Theatres, Malvern, on Thursday, March 13.

Best Service Company sponsored by Hewett Recruitment

BizzEnergy, Worcester.

Rabjohns Business and Tax Advisors, Worcester.

Midlands Technical Translation,Kidderminster.

New Business Start-up sponsored by I-Revolution

Clifton-on-Teme Nursery, Clifton-on-Teme, near Worcester.

First Aid Skills and Training, Droitwich.

Hopes of Longtown, Longtown, Herefordshire.

Whitefoot Forward, Hartlebury.

Small Business of the Year sponsored by the Food and Drink Information Centre

Bright Kids, Crabs Cross, Redditch.

The Fountain Inn, Tenbury Wells.

Pearl Lake Leisure Park, Hereford.

Business of the Year sponsored by Advantage West Midlands and the Chamber of Commerce and Business Link

Thomas Vale Construction Stourport-on-Severn.

Oakland International, Redditch

BizzEnergy, Worcester.

International Trade sponsored by PKF

Barton Firtop, Bromsgrove.

Haygrove Tunnels, Ledbury.

Fine Agrochemicals, Worcester.

Linking Education and Business - sponsored by The Learning and Skills Council, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Herefordshire Group Training Association, Herefordshire.

Concern Universal, Herefordshire.

Thomas Vale Construction Stourport-on-Severn.

Innovation Leader of the Year sponsored by Malvern Hills Science Park

PJR Print systems, Kidderminster.

Toastabags, Worcester.

Thomas Vale Construction Stourport-on-Severn.

Community Business of the Year sponsored by Small firms Initiative

Where Next Association, Redditch.

Acorns to Oaks, Ledbury.

Borrowers Toy Library, Malvern.