MORE than 200 firms have come forward to take part in the 2016 Oxfordshire Business Awards.

The awards were officially launched in December at sponsor Inchcape Mercedes-Benz’s showroom, in Langford Lane, Kidlington.

Among those who have entered are winners from last year.

Lee McQueen, who won The Apprentice TV show in 2008, was named Young Business Person of the Year and his firm, Raw Talent Academy in Watlington, was named Small Business of the Year.

Mr McQueen, 38, from Aston Rowant, near Thame, said: “At the business awards last year when they called out my name, first for the individual award and then for the team award, it was a fantastic feeling.

“You take a risk when you start your own business from scratch and it’s great when you get rewarded for that – winning the awards is up there with my top two or three achievements.”

There are 15 awards, including a new Food and Drink Producer of the Year Award, sponsored by caterers Oxford Fine Dining. The deadline for entries is today.

Awards chairman Paul Lowe said entries have been coming in fast and the next deadline for firms is Monday, March 14, for the completion of second-stage application forms.

This will be followed by judges’ visits in March and April.

A gala dinner will be held at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel, in Sandford-on-Thames, on Friday, June 17, when the award winners will be announced.

For full details visit oxfordshirebusinessawards.co.uk