Huge uplift in entries as Hull & East Yorkshire Business Awards shortlist revealed

CONTENDERS: Shortlisted individuals for the Hull & East Yorkshire Business Awards, top left to right, rising stars Courtney Isaac, Kaitlin Lander and Alex Pollard. Bottom, left to right, Entrepreneur of the Year contenders Lucy Cabaniuk, David Hall and Susan Perkins

By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor

Entries have increased by a huge 30 per cent in a special year for the Hull and East Yorkshire Business Awards.

Revealing the shortlist for the 2025 event, organisers told of the huge influx of nominations for the annual business calendar highlight.

This year marks a quarter of a century celebrating success in Hull and East Yorkshire, with TV star Gethin Jones to preside over the ceremony.

The reaction from the business community has delighted Top 30 Under 30 talent entrepreneur Simon Jones, with the awards now in the second year under his stewardship.

“Not only has there been a huge uplift in nominations but the bar has been raised considerably when it comes to the quality too,” he said.

“It has made for an incredibly difficult start to the judging process but it underlines some great achievements in a cautious business environment.

“I look forward to celebrating these successes, shouting about those who are really making a difference, and once again championing our area as a place where great business is done.”

Entries closed in September, and leading lights from the business community have been drafted in to support the judging process, with a desktop exercise reaching this point, ahead of site visits and interviews to select winners in the run-up to the big night.

The 2025 celebration will take place at Hull’s DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on Thursday, November 20. There will be a dozen awards presented, with packages of support tailored to the individual category again part of the extended prize for the winners.

This year has seen Queen’s Award-winning For Entrepreneurs Only come on board as headline partner with Hull and East Yorkshire Business Awards, with principal partners Bondholders, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Fred, GW Power-Safe, Horncastle Group, Hull City Council, Hull Live, KCOM, Layer8, MKM, Sewell Group, Skills Bootcamp Hull, Spencer Group, the University of Hull and Wilkin Chapman Rollits all supporting the event. Reach Plc is media partner.

“We’re really looking forward to the evening, with a special celebration planned to mark the incredible achievement of the awards themselves, in reaching 25 years,” Mr Jones added.

“It really is a privilege to oversee such a milestone, with so many fantastic businesses that have stood the test of time having been rewarded in a remarkable period for the region.”

Tickets for the celebration evening will be on sale from Monday, October 20 via www.heybusinessawards.co.uk. Prices are £90 plus VAT per ticket or £850 plus VAT for a table.

The Hull & East Yorkshire Business Awards 2025 shortlist:

Rising Star Award

Courtney Isaac, Hull & East Yorkshire Mind
Kaitlin Lander, C4DI
Alex Pollard, RMC Digital Print

Entrepreneur of the Year

Lucy Cabaniuk, Your Hearing Consultants
David Hall, Beverley Leisure Homes
Susan Perkins, Crancher Ltd

Innovation Award

Humber HR People (Yorkshire) Ltd
ResQ Ltd
rrelentless

Environmental & Sustainability Award

Ashcourt Group
Premier Modular
Soanes Poultry

Charity of the Year

CatZero
Hull & East Yorkshire Children’s University
The Hinge Centre

Team of the Year

Ideal Heating Engineering Team
Lampada Rail Solutions Railwhere Team
rradar Marketing Team
The Deep Education Team

Best Place to Work

ResQ Ltd
Sirius Homecare
Smailes Goldie

Start-Up Business of the Year

Betto Accommodation Services
Mopli Commercial Cleaning
Zoomies Pet Transport

Small Business of the Year

Bauer Engineering Ltd
Beverley Leisure Homes
Risby Homes Ltd

Growth Award

Fast Forward Vocational Training Ltd
John Good Group
RSN Electrical & Instrumentation Services

Large Business of the Year

Integra Buildings Ltd
Soanes Poultry
Spencer Group

Lifetime Achievement Award

To be presented on the evening