The Union Pub Company, Premier Travel Inn and Hilton International were all winners in the National Business Awards.

The awards, which are open to all industry sectors, took place on Tuesday (9 November) at the Grosvenor House hotel in London.

Karl Czinege, business opportunities manager at Wolverhampton & Dudley’s Union Pub Company, scooped the Orange Award for Bright Business, which was open to non-board staff who had made an exceptional contribution to a business.

Czinege played a key role in attracting new tenants to the leased pub division and developed a range of training courses that helped licensees increase their profits.

Premier Travel Inn, Whitbread’s budget hotel chain, took the Customer Service Strategy of the Year Award for its 100% guarantee, which offers guests their money back if they do not receive a good quality room, friendly service and comfortable surroundings.

The company said the guarantee had helped it grow occupancy by 10% above the industry average, reduce complaints, and improve its offer by finding out what guests really want.

Hilton International won the Marketing Strategy of the Year Award for a trade and consumer campaign that has boosted bookings at Hilton Worldwide Resorts, its 47-strong chain of upscale resorts around the world.

The group intends to expand the brand with 14 more resorts over the next three years.

Robyn Jones, co-founder of contract caterer Charlton House, was a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award but was pipped to the post by Anthony Moloney of Anthony Alan Foods, which supplies low-fat cakes and pastries to retail and food service markets under the Weight Watchers name.

The Corporate Venturing Award went to Wild Bean Café, which sells cappuccinos, freshly-baked baguettes and muffins in BP Connect petrol stations.

by Angela Frewin

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