THE very best of business from across Basingstoke and north Hampshire were recognised and honoured at the INSPIRE09 Business Awards.

Winning the top accolade – the Business of the Year Award – was Southern Communications. The award was one of 10 that were presented at the black-tie gala dinner held at The Anvil, on Tuesday evening, where BBC Two’s Working Lunch presenter Declan Curry was guest speaker.

The judges for the Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Hampshire builder Wilding Butler, were looking for a business most able to demonstrate all-round achievement, a clear vision for the future, success against objectives, sustained growth and be a standard bearer for success in Basingstoke and north Hampshire. And Southern Communications certainly fitted the bill.

The company was established in 1965. Based in Dummer, just outside Basingstoke, the company supplies business-to-business telecoms products and services.

Employing more than 80 people, the company has seen dramatic growth over the past five years.

Listed in 79th position in the 2009 Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100, over the last five years, it has increased its turnover from £2.4million to £9.027m.

Stepping up to collect the award from Phil Wilding, managing director of category sponsor Wilding Butler, Paul Bradford, chief executive of Southern Communications said: “I’m absolutely delighted – it’s a vindication of all our hard work.”

Paul paid tribute to the two worthy runners-up for the Business of the Year Award – prosthetics and orthotics company Blatchford and engineering firm LG Motion.

Paul said: “Both of these companies are our customers. If we had come second to either of these companies, we would have said, well, fair enough.”

Impressed with the gala awards night, Paul said: “I think it’s fantastic for Basingstoke and north Hampshire. We don’t normally enter awards, so to win is an absolute surprise.”

Declan Curry also gave the thumbs up for INSPIRE09.

He said: “I think it’s been a terrific evening. It’s always great to see hard-working companies succeed in what they do.

“And it couldn’t be a more important time to celebrate those companies’ achievements. We need those companies to be right at the top of their game as we pull out of the recession.”

l See Thursday’s Gazette for a six-page special featuring reports and pictures from the INSPIRE09 business awards. And all the Gazette pictures from the event can be viewed and purchased through basingstokegazette.co.uk/photosales