The best of the county’s businesses were celebrated at the 26th Sussex Business Awards last night.

About 500 leading business people gathered at The Grand hotel in Brighton, with 16 awards presented by Hove comedian Simon Evans.

Sussex Company of the Year went to Blue Forest, based in Eridge Park, which has built tree houses for Madonna and Natasha Kaplinsky among many others.

Hailsham-based water extraction business Aspen Pumps took International Business of the Year.

Alexander House Hotel and Utopia Spa, near Crawley, collected the gong for Best Place to Entertain Clients, while Preston Insurance Brokers in Brighton was named Most Promising New Business.

BSW Building Services, of Scaynes Hill, won the award for Best Customer Service, while Ambiental Technical Solutions was named Small Business of the Year.

Boss of the Year went to Matt Parkinson, of Gene Commerce, and Sussex Businessperson of the Year to Tracy Smith, of Homes Partnership estate agent in Crawley.

Liam Hackett, of anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label, based in Brighton, was named Young Sussex Businessperson of the Year.

The Greatest Contribution to Sussex Charity award went to Kevin Byrne, chief executive of Selsey-based Checkatrade.com.

  • See Business Matters on Tuesday for a supplement and full reaction from the awards night