Businesses across Belfast are being urged to apply for the Belfast Business Awards as soon as possible as the closing date for entries is two weeks away.

Belfast City Council will host the prestigious event in the City Hall on Thursday 14 April with 21 awards up for grabs in recognition of the fine work of business enterprises, retail outlets and businessmen and women from across the city.

The Belfast Business Awards are supported by Belfast City Centre Management (BCCM) and Victoria Square is the principal sponsor of the awards this year.

The closing date for entries to the awards is on Friday 18 February. Among the awards` categories are ‘Best New Business`, ‘Best Green Business`, ‘Best International Trade Business`, ‘Best Creative Business` and ‘Best Manufacturing Business`.

Accolades will also be bestowed for the ‘Best City Hotel` in Belfast, the ‘Best Restaurant`, ‘Best Café/Coffee Shop`. This year there will also be three new categories – the ‘Customer Service Excellence in the Professional Service Award`, the ‘Embracing the Belfast Brand Award` and the ‘Belfast Champion Award`.

Councillor Conor Maskey, Chairman of Belfast City Council`s Development Committee, said: “The Belfast Business Awards will give local businesses a unique opportunity to gain recognition for the excellent contribution they make towards the overall development of our city.

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“I would call on businesses from across the city to get their entries in for the awards as soon as they possibly can. Simply getting though to the final will raise an organisation`s profile amongst its peers but just as important is the huge boost it will give to internal morale. To win an award will be a mark of quality that will bring real prestige to that individual business.”

Hugh Black, Centre Manager of Victoria Square, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the prestigious Belfast Business Awards as lead sponsor, following the success of the previous year`s awards. These awards are unique in recognising and presenting businesses with the opportunity to gain recognition for the excellent contribution they make towards the overall development of our city.”

The Grand Opera House won two awards at the Belfast Business Awards last year – the Best Marketing Initiative and the Best Innovative Use of IT awards.

Paul Coleman, Digital Marketing Manager with the Grand Opera House, said: “The Belfast Business Awards were a tangible recognition of the hard work undertaken by the theatre`s marketing team and reaffirmed the venue’s standing among local arts organisations and the wider business community.

“Since winning the awards, the Grand Opera House has secured a new principal sponsor, due in part to the credibility that came with winning the Best Marketing Initiative, given the standard of entries in this category. The awards evening also presented a fantastic networking opportunity and many lasting business relationships were formed at the event.”

The closing date for entries to the Belfast Business Awards 2011 is Friday 18 February 2011. Entry forms can be obtained from the official website www.belfastbusinessawards.com or by contacting 028 9024 2111.

Tickets are now on sale for the black-tie Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Thursday 14 April at Belfast City Hall. For bookings, please contact the enquiry line on 028 9024 2111.

(GK)