Lifetime achievement award for Lancashire textiles giant at annual BIBAs ceremony - and a list of who won what

The founder of a Lancashire textiles firm which sells across the globe has been handed a lifetime achievement prize by one of the county's leading business awards.
All the winners from the BIBAs ceremonyAll the winners from the BIBAs ceremony
All the winners from the BIBAs ceremony

Tony Attard, who established Burnley-based Panaz more than 30 years ago, received the Lancastrian of the Year award at the Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, ceremony at the Blackpool Tower on Friday night.

The businessman and current High Sherriff of Lancashire established and developed a business which exports to almost 50 countries worldwide.

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Utiligroup, which manages utilities for businesses across the world, picked up the Business of the Year award and Preston-based Sunshine Events and Blackburn’s Flavour Warehouse both picked up two awards, Creative Business of the Year and Service Business of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year and Exporter of the Year respectively.

Blackpool’s Winter Gardens won the leisure and tourism prize.

The awards were handed out at a prize-giving ceremony in front of a sell-out crowd which was entertained by pop icon Lulu and her band – the awards were presented by television economist Justin Urquhart Stuart.

Francis Egan, of headline sponsor, Cuadrilla Resources, said: “For a further year, the BIBAs has shown us the quality of Lancashire’s diverse business community, across all sectors and all sizes of businesses.

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“But, it is every one of the people who stepped on to the stage at the Blackpool Tower to collect those trophies who are the real heroes along with the many thousands of people who work every day in their businesses.”

For a full special report on the evening see Tuesday's Lancashire Post and Blackpool Gazette.

The list of winners is:

Lancastrian of the Year: Tony Attard OBE.Business of the Year: Utiligroup.

Business Person of the Year: David Marks, Levity Crop Science.

Most Inspiring Young Person: Henry Hargreaves.

Creative Business of the Year: Sunshine Events UK.

Employer of the Year: FTS Merit.

Engineering Business of the Year: Pakawaste Group.

Exporter of the Year: Flavour Warehouse.

Family Business of the Year: First Trace Heating Direct.

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Professional Service Business of the Year: Hest Bank Dental Care.

Manufacturer of the Year: Flavour Warehouse.

Transport and Distribution Business of the Year: Next Day Freight.

Construction Business of the Year: Pinington.

Leisure and Tourism Business of the Year: Winter Gardens Blackpool.

Third Sector Business of the Year: Positive Action in the Community.

Service Business of the Year: Sunshine Events UK.

New Business of the Year: JFN Integrated Solutions.

Micro-Business of the Year: Group55.

Small Business of the Year: Better2Know.

Medium Business of the Year: Roccia - Tiles and Bathrooms.