Star Award Winners Urge Other Others to Enter - What it Means to Them

Entries are streaming in and we would love to see receive your applications.

The Perthshire Chamber of Commerce event sponsored by Binn Group is one of the most eagerly anticipated on the business calendar and takes place at Crieff Hydro on Friday November 24th.

The best reason to enter our Business Star Awards is to hear how other title holders felt it benefitted them and how positive they found the process.

A selection of previous Star Award winners kindly took the time to share their thoughts and encourage entries.

Allan and Joan Ferguson, Allans Chilli Products, Excellence in Food & Drink Produce Award Winner 2022

“As we have been a previous Award Winner, here is a wee bit to let you know about our experience on getting to the point of coming through the application process to get to the judging process, what an achievement this was for us.

“Having the judges visit our kitchen to show them what we do to produce our Award Winning produce they were all so kind and lovely with a great buzz on the day, we entertained them all just like it was our own friends popping in for a meal.

“The build up to the event on the promotional side was amazing on and after the event, the night of the event was so amazing. To meet all the other businesses face to face on the night was great. To be able to thank all our hard working team and customers and supporters from the stage.

“When it came to our category and being picked as a winner was one of the best feelings ever, the benefits of being part of the Awards just leads to more contacts etc for future business so thank you to everyone involved and to anyone who enters these awards in the future.”

Mike Lindsay, Club 300

“We have applied on various occasions and have been lucky enough to always be shortlisted and on two occasions won an award. 

“We won excellence in customer service in 2016 and won a double for Apprentice of the Year and Excellence in Customer Service again in 2021. 

“The whole application process truly lets you reflect on your business and its development. It’s also a worthwhile exercise getting to showcase your business to other business leaders and local supporters of the chamber. 

“The event itself has always been a great night and we have always considered the chamber awards as the only ones worth entering. 

“Not only due to the application process itself but the well organised, detailed and glamorous setting at Crieff hydro which aways delivers for us and the team when we have attended. 

“The awards look great in our club lounge and a special moment was getting to see our apprentice pick up his award and get the deserved recognition from our members. 

“Brandon has since become out Fitness Manager and Club 300 has grown from a start up in Perth to a franchise. 

“We had clubs open in Glasgow and Blairgowrie since 2019 and are currently in positive talks for another club to open hopefully in 2024. 

“Our original ‘Club 300 Perth’ is nearing capacity with the only current concerns around new rates being applied, utility costs up over 100% and staff wages obviously being pushed up quite considerably since opening in 2015. 

“However, we continue to grow and face the challenges of the current times. 

“All in all, the Star Awards not only gave us as business owners a boost but also provided a boost to our team and of course our members who live to see our success.” 

Anne MacDonald, The Old Manse of Blair

“We are constantly inundated with award merits and opportunities to promote our brand through what are essentially paid marketing opportunities.  

“We entered the Perthshire Chamber of Commerce awards as we believed they didn't purely have a commercial angle and had real integrity. Business awards judged by knowledgeable professionals who know the geography and regional challenges of Perthshire.  This is truly verified in the judging processes. An awards body that looks at every aspect of your business in the awards process. They have a panel of judges with credibility across business sectors who meet you and look at what it's taken to build your business. They discuss your challenges and let you demonstrate your resilience and approach to creating and leading your business.  How you've positioned yourself in your growth strategy and what the results have been. 

“We were delighted to win the award for excellence in Tourism and Leisure. It's given the team recognition for their hard work, and it's recognised the wider economic benefits the business delivers too and given the business publicity and profile.  The journey as an entrepreneur can be a lonely one, the support and network of the chamber can make a real difference to your business. 

“I would wholeheartedly encourage businesses to apply for the awards.”

Lisa Findlay, UHI Perth

“My team and I were thrilled to be recognised for our efforts by winning the 2022 Excellence in Digital Media Award.  

“Writing the award reminded us of our hard work in reaching out to potential students in the uncertain times after covid. We take great delight in sharing our brilliant student’s unique journeys.

“After being shortlisted, judges visited us face-to-face on-campus for a chat over our entry and we enjoyed meeting them and answering their questions.

“The night itself was a fantastic event, with lots of local businesses represented. It was a very supportive atmosphere and winning was an unexpected but absolutely incredible feeling, although also rather nerve wracking going on stage. However, I recovered enough to participate in the party atmosphere after the award presentations!

“Afterwards, it was such a pleasure to share our team’s win with our colleagues across UHI Perth, the wider community and our stakeholders. It’s an accolade which I’ll always remember with great pride.”  

Perthshire Chamber chief executive Vicki Unite said:

“It is always an absolute privilege to be able to shine the spotlight on some of our area’s success stories and the business benefits underpins all that we do.  We are so grateful to all those who support us through entering, sponsoring, supporting and attending and it all helps to bolster our local economy and grow prosperity for Perthshire.”

Tickets for the event, hosted by tv and radio broadcaster Kaye Adams, with fizz on arrival, a delicious three course meal with coffee and petits fours, awards ceremony, fundraiser and live music with Groove Culture into the wee small hours are available:

£95+vat pp for a member or £900 + VAT for a table of 10.

Non-members are £105 + VAT pp or £1000 + VAT for a table of 10.

Full details of all the award categories and further information can be found at www.businessstarwards.com 

Entries close on Friday 13th October at 1700 and can be made online at www.businessstarawards.com.  The Chamber can be contacted on 01738 448325, emailed at: events@perthshirechamber.co.uk or online at: www.perthshirechamber.co.uk.

Bedrooms are available to book via the Hydro website.  The link to the personalised page can be found by clicking here with the promotional code: PCCSTAR241123 - this will be matched with our Booking List for attendees using this code.

Bedroom prices, Standard Bedroom:

£150.00 per room, per night, bed & breakfast, based on single occupancy*

£160.00 per room, per night, bed & breakfast, based on double occupancy*

*Update grade to feature bedroom - £20.00 per bedroom

*Update grade to signature bedroom - £50.00 per bedroom

Entries and Tickets: Full details of all the award categories and further information can be found at www.businessstarwards.com