Mid Ulster Business Awards finalists revealed ahead of gala night in Royal Hotel, Cookstown

Almost 100 nominations were received from all types of businesses and enterprises across the region for this year’s awards.

With a wide variety of categories, there really was a category to cover every business. This year’s awards also welcomed entries for some exciting new categories such as Best Pub or Bar, Sustainability, Employer of the Year, and Best Restaurant awards.

The extremely high calibre of entries certainly made it tough work for the judging panel of Julie McKeown, Group HR Director of Henry Brothers Ltd; Darragh Cullen, Managing Director and co-owner of EDGE Innovate; Catherine Martin, partner, Cavanagh Kelly and Valerie Martin, senior Northern Ireland weeklies editor of National World, publishers of the Mid Ulster Mail.

The judging panel spent many hours carefully checking each nomination before settling on the list of very worthy finalists:

Manufacturing Award, sponsored by McNicholl Caravans

• CEMCOR Ltd
• Specialist Group

Best New Business / Start-Up sponsored by P McVey Building Systems

• Connexus International Ltd
• Excel Plastics NI
• GRN Search Group
• Manor Mont Enviro

Family Business of the Year sponsored by Henry Brothers

• Combined Facilities Management Ltd
• Killymoon Living
• McAtamney's Traditional Butchers
• McNicholl Caravans Ltd
• PB Paving Contracts Ltd
• Topframe Engineering Ltd

Best Restaurant (People’s Choice Award)

• Church Street Brasserie, Magherafelt
• Dawson’s Restaurant, Castledawson
• Taaj Indian Restaurant, Magherafelt
• The Castledawson Inn, Magherafelt
• The Old Thatch Inn, Magherafelt

Best SME Business sponsored by Mid Ulster District Council

• Ionic
• McNicholl Caravans Ltd
• PAR Biogas Ltd
• Saltmarine Cars

Leisure or Tourism Business of the Year

• Friels Bar & Restaurant
• Glenshane Country Farm
• Splash Outdoor Waterpark
• The Jungle

Sustainability Award

• Bell Contracts
• CEMCOR Ltd
• PAR Biogas Ltd

Business in the Community Award sponsored by South West College

• Carnglen Credit Union Ltd
• CEMCOR Ltd
• Cookstown Credit Union Ltd
• P McVey Building Systems
• Specialist Group
• Terex Farlough

Innovation Award sponsored by EDGE Innovate

• Manor Mont Enviro Ltd
• Origin7
• PAR Biogas Ltd
• The Jungle Paintball Ltd

Employer of the Year sponsored by Cavanagh Kelly

• McNicholl Caravans Ltd
• P McVey Building Systems
• Saltmarine Cars
• Specialist Group

Business Person of the Year sponsored by Specialist Group

• Terry Murphy - APS LLP
• Patrick Cassidy - Ionic
• Jim Quinn - J&K Coaches Ltd
• Johann Muldoon - Manor Architects

The awards to each of the category winners will be presented at the grand black tie awards ceremony, taking place in the Royal Hotel, Cookstown, on November 14 from 7pm.

An enjoyable evening awaits up to 200 guests who are expected to attend this year’s ceremony, where they will have the chance to network, relax and soak up the atmosphere of being part of this memorable night of celebration and entertainment.

Well known television presenter and journalist Adrian Logan is a popular figure at this annual event and he will be in attendance once again this year to add his own sparkle and humour to the evening.

As well as awards for each of the categories, there will be the presentation of a special Lifetime Achievement Award to a well-deserving individual on the night.

Tickets are now on sale – so make sure to check out the details on https://www.nationalworldevents.com/muba-2024/ on how to book and get your tickets before they are all snapped up.

This prestigious event in the local business calendar is hosted by the Mid Ulster Mail in conjunction with headline sponsors Henry Brothers Ltd, alongside category sponsors South West College, EDGE Innovate, McNicholl Caravans, P McVey Building Systems, Specialist Group, CavanaghKelly and Mid-Ulster District Council.

Partners of the event are the Royal Hotel (drinks reception sponsor), The Food Doc and charity partner Charis Cancer Care.

The annual awards recognise the talent, entrepreneurship and excellence that exists across the wide range of business and commerce across the Mid Ulster area – and this year have attracted a record number of entries.