City centre businesses are looking forward to competing in their very own awards scheme as HullBID sets out to showcase what its members have to offer.

The Hull Business Improvement District Awards 2014 will be launched in February in partnership with the Hull Daily Mail, giving an opportunity for employers and individuals – and for the city centre as a whole – to gain greater recognition.

The awards were unveiled by HullBID City Centre Manager Kathryn Shillito and Chairman of the Board of Directors Jim Harris at the October HullBID networking event held at Hull Truck Theatre.

They will be presented in a ceremony at the same venue on Thursday 8 May 2014. Entry into the awards and admission to the presentation evening will all be free of charge.

Full details of the awards will appear in a special launch supplement to be published in the Mail during the first week of February. The Mail will then publish weekly articles looking at nominated businesses and the individual categories.

These will include a Safe City Award, Pavement Pride Award, City Ambassador Award and Community Spirit Award. There will also be awards for outstanding employees or teams, best business start-up and outstanding business development. The awards will be judged by a panel comprising HullBID City Centre Manager Kathryn Shillito, Hull Daily Mail Managing Director Mike Pennington, Hull Civic Society Chairman John Netherwood and Pauline Speed, the Love You 2 Appeal Manager at Dove House Hospice.

A special category – Service with a Smile – will be decided by a poll of Hull Daily Mail readers.
The closing date for entries is Friday April 4. Finalists in each category will be informed during week commencing April 14 and the shortlist will be published in another Hull Daily Mail awards supplement during the following week as excitement builds towards the presentation ceremony.