WITH less than two months until the second Fenland Enterprise Business Awards ceremony, we can reveal the shortlist for the 10 categories.

Businesses across Fenland entered in their droves, and our panel of judges sifted through every entry to draw up this shortlist.

Two businesses are shortlisted in three categories – accountancy firm Bantoft & Co of Wisbech is shortlisted in Small Business of the Year and New Business of the Year, and owner Nickie Bantoft is up for the Business Person of the Year award.

James Graven & Sons Ltd, of Chatteris, could also walk away with three trophies.

It is shortlisted for the Environment and Community Impact Award and Medium Business of the Year, and owner Jonathan James is also on the shortlist for the Business Person of the Year.

An interesting battle is in prospect for the Employee of the Year Award. Louise Stevenson and Martyn Lilley of Fenland Leisure Products, Christchurch, the company which won last year’s overall prize, will battle against Lavinia Lee and Matthew Plumb of Commercial Utility Brokers (UK) Ltd based in March.

Judges are now set to visit the shortlisted businesses and people in the coming weeks before choosing the winners, which will be announced at the awards ceremony at the Braza in March on Friday October 1.

The full shortlist is:

Small Business of the Year

(sponsored by CANNON KIRK)

Bantoft & Co, Wisbech

Stardust, March

Salon 2, Wisbech

Aerial Smiths, Chatteris

Environment and Community Impact

(sponsored by FENLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL)

James Graven & Sons Ltd, Chatteris

Fuller Gray Carpet Tiles, Chatteris

Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services (NWES)

Training and Development Award

(sponsored by LARKFLEET HOMES)

Winner to be announced on the evening.

New Business of the Year

(sponsored by MARK PETROU)

Bantoft & Co, Wisbech

T & T Vehicle Sales, Whittlesey

Doggy Styling, March

Creative Innovation Award

(sponsored by LOCAL GENERATION)

Modern Moniker, Wisbech

Binsafe, Wisbech

Amanda Carlin, Wimblington

Employee of the Year

Louise Stevenson, Fenland Leisure Products, Christchurch

Martyn Lilley, Fenland Leisure Products, Christchurch

Lavinia Lee, Commercial Utility Brokers (UK) Ltd, March

Matthew Plumb, Commercial Utility Brokers (UK) Ltd, March

Social Enterprise

FACET, March

Hope Social Enterprises

Medium Business of the Year

Ellis Winters, Chatteris

James Graven & Sons Ltd, Chatteris

Next Steps Community Care, March

Business Person of the Year

(sponsored by HUGH CRANE (CLEANING EQUIPMENT) LTD)

Stephen Croxton, Next Steps Community Care, March

Keith Smith, Hope Social Enterprises

Nickie Bantoft, Bantoft & Co, Wisbech

Jonathan James, James Graven & Sons Ltd

Business of the Year (sponsored by WHITING AND PARTNERS)

This will be chosen by the judges from all the entries.