Innovative thinking, entrepreneurial flair, environmental awareness and community involvement have all been rewarded at the Sussex Business Awards.

Brighton-based Mistral Internet, one of the UK's leading internet service providers, took the company of the year award sponsored by professional services firm Deloitte & Touche.

Hotelier Richard Baker, the driving force behind the success of The Grand, Brighton, was voted Sussex businessman of the year, sponsored by Southern FM.

The results were revealed to 500 business and civic leaders at a dinner hosted by Meridian Broadcasting presenter Geoff Clarke at the Copthorne Effingham Park near Gatwick.

Winners were chosen by a high-powered panel of judges headed by Sussex businessman Malcolm Diamond.

The awards programme is sponsored by Business Link, which provides services through Sussex Enterprise to help give companies the winning edge.

Businesses from most sectors of industry and commerce were among the 20 companies and six individuals honoured.

It was a night of triumph for managing director Martin Evans and his team, who transformed Littlehampton Book Services of Worthing from a company "operating in the Dark Ages" to a leading distributor.

They won two trophies, the Virgin Atlantic dynamic business award and the innovation and business development award, sponsored by legal firm asb-law and the Sussex Innovation Centre.

Entrepreneur of the year was Rupert Loman who was 16 when, four years ago, he set up a web site business with his brother Nick reviewing computer games.

Today his Brighton-based Eurogamer Network is forecasting profits of £100,000. The award is sponsored by regional ITV company Meridian.

Video games featured for a second time in the winners list when Brighton-based Wide Games took the creative industries award, which is backed by Brighton and Hove city and East Sussex county councils.

Seaford specialists in home care, Prime Care Community Services, took the Learning Pays! award, for companies developing their workforce, sponsored by Sussex Learning and Skills Council.

The small business award, sponsored by Seeboard Energy, went to graphics and print specialists Sussex Sign Company, based in Newhaven.

The company judged best at reducing the impact of business on the environment was Interact of Arundel, which handles cleaning, ground maintenance, catering and security.

It took the sustainable business award, sponsored by South-East Water in association with the Environment Agency.

Long-term collaboration with the University of Brighton gave visual display systems company SEOS, of Burgess Hill, the university-business partnership award, sponsored by the Universities of Brighton and Sussex.

For the first time, readers of The Argus could nominate their favourite store as Sussex retailer of the year, sponsored by the newspaper.

The result was a win for EyeSite, the Brighton-based independent opticians.

For outstanding contribution to the community, Chichester accountants Sheen Stickland was awarded the business community citizenship award, sponsored by American Express and Brighton and Hove Business Community Partnership.

The awards have the support of Fortis Bank and Copthorne Effingham Park, which sponsors the awards dinner reception. The awards are created and organised by the Priory Partnership.

Friday November 21, 2003