BUSINESSES bidding to scoop top honours in the county's prestigious business of the year awards have a triple treat in store.

This year there are new categories, a new sponsor and a new venue for the final of the competition, now in its fifth year.

A new sponsor for 1999 is the Four Pillars Hotels Group, which will host the glittering final at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel at Sandford-on-Thames.

The group is joining Unipart in sponsoring the customer care category in the competition, which is organised by the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council.

Entering is much less time-consuming this year. Businesses need only complete their company details on an entry form and spell out in less than 200 words why they should win an award.

All entrants will then receive a visit from a Business Link Heart of England business adviser, who will conduct a diagnostic benchmarking exercise while collecting evidence of how their company fulfils the award criteria.

New categories this year include: New Business, Innovation and Oxfordshire Business Person of the Year. This year there is a new innovation category, which replaces community involvement. It is sponsored by Newsquest (Oxfordshire), publishers of the Oxford Mail, and FOX FM.

Another new category is new business, which replaces the previous small business category, sponsored by Business Link Heart of England and Lloyds Bank. The third new category is for the Oxfordshire Business Person of the Year. The developing people category is sponsored by the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council and car makers Rover and the export category, sponsored by express carrier DHL International (UK) and business advisers Grant Thornton.

Entries in all categories will automatically be considered for the overall award of Oxfordshire Business of the Year.

Entry forms are available by phoning Business Link on 0345 569 569. The closing date for entries is Wednesday, March 24.

Story date: Thursday 28 January

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