The final events in this year’s North East Business Awards are to be held as virtual awards nights.
Two of the sub-regional heats – the Northumberland and Tyneside Business Awards and the Durham, Sunderland and South Tyneside Business Awards – took place at the start of the year, but the Teesside heat and the grand final were postponed when the coronavirus lockdown was imposed.
Both events attract usually hundreds of people and were initially postponed to September in the hope that restrictions could be lifted.
But with no prospect of holding the awards in person, the events will be livestreamed instead.
The Teesside Business Awards will be streamed live on September 3 with the grand final being broadcast on September 24. The awards will be hosted by TV presenter Kirsten O’Brien and details on how to watch the awards can be found on the website at nebusinessawards.co.uk.
Helen Dalby, North East audience and content director for Journal publishers Reach plc, said: “Reach plc is committed to celebrating the North East’s great businesses and although the awards will look somewhat different, they will still be a huge celebration and showcase of the brilliant businesses we have in our region.
“Under normal circumstances, we would have celebrated with the businesses of Teesside in March and then started looking forward to the grand final. And while that wasn’t possible, we need to celebrate our great companies now more than ever.
“We hope our shortlisted finalists will join us in these virtual events and that we can be back together as soon as possible.”
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A total of 28 firms were shortlisted in 11 categories for the Teesside Business Awards, with nominees including Mobile Mini, Teesside Park, Everflow Group and Ithica Films.
The Company of the Year prize will be contested by Hartlepool firms Hodgson Fish and J&B Recycling Ltd, and Stockton’s Mandale Homes.
With each category, the winners will compete against their counterparts from Northumberland and Tyneside, and Durham, Sunderland and South Tyneside, in the grand final.
Sponsors for the Teesside heat and the grand final include Virgin Money, Middlesbrough College, Baldwins, Business Durham, Durham University, Endeavour Partnership, FW Capital, Newcastle University, Nifco, Northern Skills Group, Teesside University, Everything Different and Hays Travel for Business.
For more details, please email
lesley.hampson@reachplc.com.