Quaywest radio lining up awards night for favourite local businesses

VOTING closes on Friday, June 15, in the first-ever Quaywest radio ‘Business Awards’ competition.
As The Crier went to press, more than 1,000 votes had already been cast by Quaywest listeners for the 27 businesses which have entered the awards.
The awards will be announced at a celebrity presentation evening in Minehead Football Club on Friday, June 22, when local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger will also be attending.
A charity auction will be held as well, with the proceeds being shared by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Devon and Somerset Air Ambulance, and the Somerset Fire Service benevolent fund.
The evening will be compered by Quaywest presenter Drew Haddon.
Anybody who takes part by voting for their favourite local business could also win a murder mystery evening with the West Somerset Railway, as they will be entered into a draw.
And those who attend the presentation evening can win a meal for two in Reeves restaurant, in Watchet, by dropping their business card into a box on the night.
The business with the most votes from West Somerset will win a 30-inch plasma screen Panasonic television, a month’s free advertising with Quaywest, and a year’s advertising on the boarding around Minehead’s football pitch.
People can vote online by using a form to be found on Quaywest’s website, http://www.quaywestfm.net/ or with voting slips available in a number of retail shops in Minehead, Watchet, Williton, and Porlock.
The businesses which have entered the awards, together with their voting number, are: 1 Aquasplash Leisure Centre, 2 Webberbus, 3 The Lighting Company, 4 Minehead Computer Services, 5 Stuart Lowen quality butcher, 6 Natalie Poat travel counsellor, 7 Ekos Kitchens, 8 Dunkery Beacon Hotel, 9 Penny Pine Ltd, 10 Glenmore Café, 11 Blondies, 12 Chives delicatessen, 13 Alan Harman Car Sales, 14 Morris Carpets and Beds, 15 Minehead Glass, 16 Babys First, 17 Corner House Stores, 18 Willows Café and Gifts, 19 Friday Print, 20 West Somerset Motors, 21 Trenz, 22 The Shoe Centre, 23 Chapel Roofing and Building Services Ltd, 24 Cream, 25 Blue Anchor Bay Garage, 26 Cornerstone Projects, 27 Antlers Pet Supplies.
As well as being an awards presentation, the evening also promises to be a huge networking event for local businesses.
Quaywest sales executive Gerry Baxter told The Crier: “We are having the awards as a way of getting businesses together and everybody having a great evening as well.
“Yes, the businesses who have entered want to win, but they are also looking forward to the evening itself as a fun networking opportunity.
“As Drew Haddon puts it, it is about ‘keeping your lolly local’ and supporting the businesses we have here in the Quaywest catchment area.
“When we started the awards we had hoped to have about a dozen entries, but to get 27 involved in the first year is tremendous.
“Everywhere we go, people are talking about it, and we regularly mention it on the radio, so people can keep listening to 102.4 and 100.8 fm Quaywest Radio for more information.”