THE search for outstanding achievement in enterprise is on after The Hive announced entries are now open for its Blackburn with Darwen business awards.

The awards celebrate the brightest and best in business in the borough and Hive is expecting a raft of entries from local companies this year.

Ian Brown, chairman of the Hive, said: “The Hive awards are one of the highlights of the Blackburn with Darwen calendar and a great opportunity for businesses to showcase the work they’ve been doing over the last year and really raise the profile of their company.”

Mr Brown said the awards are one of the biggest events Hive puts on each year and are designed to both raise the profile of local companies and celebrate what businesses are doing. That is in not only measured in terms of their own growth and success, but how they are improving Blackburn with Darwen as a place to invest, work and live in.

Winners of the awards last year included international businesses like Tensa, charities such as Blackburn Youth Zone and small businesses such as Piemezzanae and Greenview Nurseries.

Mr Brown said: “The Hive awards are about celebrating every business, individual, charity or organisation in the region, so whatever your sector or scale, there is an award category. Our one stipulation is that the business needs to be based or have links to the Blackburn with Darwen area.”

Applications for the awards, which are free to enter, must be submitted before March 27. The 2020 ceremony will take place at King George’s Hall, Blackburn, on June 25. Visit awards.business-hive.co.uk.