THE finalists for Warrington Business Awards have been announced.

Business leaders gathered at the Halliwell Jones Stadium last Thursday to share their visions for future growth and development at the first Warrington Business Conference.

A total of 64 organisations were represented at the event, which featured speaker John Timpson, who has 1,300 stores nationwide delivering a turnout of £195 million.

Those in attendance also got the chance to quiz a panel made up of four business leaders during the night.

Organiser Lisa Edmunds worked with Warrington & Co managing director Steve Park and Warrington Wolves chief executive Roger Draper to stage the conference, and the 36-year-old is also tipping the town for continued success in years to come.

She said: "Warrington is a great place and very appealing to businesses – the location is one of the things I think attracts people here.

"I am delighted to have organised the first conference – we have worked hard together."

Mr Park was keen to praise the current business climate in the area but also revealed his vision for next year's conference.

The 46-year-old said: "I am really pleased to have this conference. It is not funded by the public sector, it is private sector funded.

"Warrington is a successful town – the business community is making it happen.

"We are driving growth and getting the skills base in place. We had 64 here this time but next year I want to have 120 and there is no reason why we can't do that."

Host Penny Haslam, who has fronted two BBC Panorama investigations and is a reporter for The One Show, said she was delighted to have been asked to be involved.

The Lymm resident added: "It is a chance to find out the business stories from leaders in the town.

"Big companies from across the country are moving here and I think it will continue. I believe Warrington will keep thriving."

The evening concluded with the announcement of finalists for Warrington Business Awards, which have been labelled as the 'Oscars' of the business community.

Jennifer McGuinness, organising committee member and associate solicitor at FDR Law, said: "The standard of entries was extremely high and the judges found it extremely difficult to select the finalists for each category.

"There were some excellent entries which unfortunately weren't shortlisted – we thank them for entering and hope they will enter again next year.

"Warrington remains a great place to do business and the entrants and finalists for the Warrington Business Awards are testimony to the quality and skills in the area."

Warrington Business Awards will take place on June 10 at Lymm Rugby Club – the event is already a sell-out.

Here is a full list of the firms and figures battling for the honours:

Business of the year

•Key Integrated Services

•Kids Planet

•Westbrook Industrial

Businessman of the year

•Andrew Jones, Totus Environmental

•Giles Hampson, RMG Recruitment

•Neil Gallant, Neutronic Technologies

Businesswoman of the year

•Joanne Hawkins, Executive PA

•Pamela Cunliffe, R&D Tax Claims

•Rebecca Lord-Lyon, Edith & Winston Bridalwear

Employer of the year

•Hultons Landscapes

•Legal for Landlords

•RMG Recruitment

Innovation of the year

•Arcis Biotechnology

•Mindgift

•Pocket Midwife

Apprentice of the year

•Brandon Cherrett, Styles & Co Chartered Accountants

•Danielle Howe, FDR Law

•Nathan Webster, Hultons Landscapes

Green award

•Renewable Energy 4 Business

•Sharples Group

•Totus Environmental

Community initiative of the year

•Lifetime Trust Warrington

•Warrington Wolves and Gladstone Brookes

•Warrington Youth Club

Hospitality Provider of the Year

•The Black Swan

•The Peace Centre

•Wasabi Teppan-Yaki Japanese Restaurant

New business of the year

•Accredited Skills

•No Brainer

•Totus Environmental

Retailer of the Year

•Black Sheep Wools

•Disability Trading Company

•Edith & Winston Bridalwear

•Johnsons Hairdressers

•Stockton Heath Travel

For further information visit warringtonbusinessawards.co.uk

And to vote for your Retailer of the Year, click here.