Business entrepreneurs in Brighton and Hove were recognised at a glittering awards ceremony last night.

About 500 people from 100 companies attended the Brighton and Hove Business Awards (BAHBAS) at the Hilton Metropole, in Brighton.

The ceremony was hosted by GMTV reporter Marcella Whittingdale.

Mike Holland, chairman of property developers Cherrywood Investments, was named Outstanding Brightonian of the Year.

Other winners included Hotel du Vin, which was named Best Place to Entertain Your Clients, Neilson Active Holidays named best place to work, and online foreign currency exchange 4X Currency, which was named Business of Tomorrow.

Online search marketing company Spannerworks, sold to US counterpart iCrossing for £40 million earlier this year, took the award for Business Growth, while South Coast Bikes was a clear winner for the Best Customer Service award.

The awards were established in 2004 to celebrate the wealth of entrepreneurial and creative talent in Brighton and Hove and to help raise the profile of the city.

Mr Holland was given the prestigious award for rescuing two of Brighton and Hove's most treasured buildings.

Under the watchful eye of English Heritage, the entrepreneur has ploughed £5 million into restoring historic Stanmer House, near Falmer, to its former glory.

In June last year The British Engineerium, in Droveway, Hove, was saved from closure at the eleventh hour when Mr Holland bought the museum and all its exhibits.

The 60-year-old businessman arrived in Brighton with just £5 almost 40 years ago and has since built up a property portfolio in the city and across the country.

Mr Holland, whose son Christopher has cerebral palsy, is also the co-founder of Whoopsadaisy, a holiday club for children with physical disabilities.

Previous winners of the award, which celebrates people who have put the city on the map, include DJ Norman Cook, hotelier Roger Marlowe and restaurateur Sue Addis.

Caraline Brown, founder of event organiser Midnight Communications, said: "The BAHBAS is now firmly established in the Brighton business calendar, with the number of companies taking part up 30 per cent on last year.

"The great thing about the event is that all businesses, large and small, have a real chance of winning, and this year's winners list proves that.

"The BAHBAs move with the times. They reflect the increasing role businesses play in the community, with new awards for healthiest workplace and employer engagement. It shows that business is no longer just about making a profit but having a positive impact on the communities they locate themselves in."

* A 16-page awards supplement with a full list of winners, and pictures of the event will be inside next Tuesday's business supplement in The Argus.