Awards Night Celebrates The Best Businesses In Merton


Wimbledon's Alexandra pub wins the Andrew Wakefield special award

The sixth Merton Chamber of Commerce’s Merton Best Business Awards – the annual celebration of business success in the borough - returned to Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis Club after its refurbishment. 

The winners and runners up come from a wide range of industries. The Overall Winner was RyGas Ltd, a growing and successful property maintenance company based in Morden.

The evening kicked off with The Andrew Wakefield Award, a special award that was started last year after the death of Andrew, the former Chair of Merton Chamber of Commerce, in 2016.

The winner of the award this year fulfilled three important values: Entrepreneurship; a sense of community and the ability to connect people to add value to make this a fabulous borough to work and do business in.

Mick DoreIn recognition of their substantial contribution to the local community, the award this year was presented to Mick Dore (left) from The Alexandra pub in Wimbledon Town Centre.

CEO of Merton Chamber of Commerce, Diana Sterck said: “Once again we have seen that we have such depth of hard working, entrepreneurial and successful businesses in Merton.

“The awards were a showcase for the very best businesses in the borough with more than 220 guests in the audience, there was a real palpable atmosphere of success in the room.

"Many congratulations to the much deserving grand final winners, and also to those businesses shortlisted as a finalist. In my view they are all winners because their businesses have been judged by other business people, a very powerful endorsement indeed. Everyone should be proud of the businesses that contribute so much to the local economy.”

Mick Dore said: "The Andrew Wakefield award brought a lump to both Sarah and my throats, because before he passed Andrew was a regular in the Alex and was always hugely supportive of anything we did. I personally wiled away many a lunchtime chatting to and listening to this fine man.

“Luckily he seemed to enjoy coming to the Alex as much as we enjoyed having him, and to win his award was really special for us. I reckon if he is looking down he’d approve of the little things we do from time to time, he should because in many respects he was influential in inspiring us to make it happen."

September 27, 2018