Musicians to bring rhythm to awards

Clint Boon

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THE 2017 Oldham Business Awards will be enhanced with a late-night dance party hosted by Revolution 96.2 with DJs Clint Boon and Elliot Eastwick.

The extra event will be held at Queen Elizabeth Hall after the formal 2017 awards dinner and ceremony has ended, allowing guests to let their hair down and continue partying into the small hours.

Aidan Towey, managing director of Innovative Technology and chairman of the Oldham Business Awards steering group, has arranged the after-party with Matt Ramsbottom, managing director of Revolution 96.2.

Mr Towey said: "We are delighted to be adding this event to the awards ceremony schedule. We've had a number of requests in recent years to extend the awards night with a late-night, informal after-party. So we think this will be a great addition, with some great northern DJs playing a good range of music. It promises to be an excellent addition."

Oldham's Clint Boon first shot to fame as keyboard player with indie band Inspiral Carpets and has developed a career as a musician, club DJ and radio presenter.

Elliot Eastwick has been a DJ at clubs including Manchester's Hacienda. He has also been a record producer, launched a record label called Paper Recordings, and is now a presenter on Revolution 96.2.

Both DJs are known for their wide musical tastes and the after-party event should have something for everyone.

Mr Ramsbottom, from Revolution 96.2, said: "A lot of people who attend the awards will have grown up with Clint Boon and Elliot Eastwick. We think it's bang-on for that set of people.

"The business awards are a well-established event with a quality reputation. We want to support businesses and stakeholders across Oldham and we see the awards as the ideal event. So it's a privilege to get involved and to help the awards develop."

Along with the Oldham Evening Chronicle, the radio station is encouraging firms to enter the 2017 awards with regular promotional coverage.

The nominations stage was launched in November and businesses have until January 27 to submit applications. The process is done online through the official website oldhambusinessawards.co.uk.

After January, representatives from major sponsor NatWest and the awards steering group will pick five entrants from each award category. Those five will then be handed to judging panels, for shortlisting to three finalists for each category. Judging panels will then visit each of the finalists they have shortlisted to find out more.

The workplace visits are designed to provide shortlisted firms with excellent opportunities to showcase their products or services, receive expert advice and be introduced to others in the business and professional community.

One example of how this can benefit businesses can be seen with Tunnel Engineering Services (UK). It won two accolades at last year's awards but also went on to receive funding advice and support from sponsors and judges. As a result of the introductions and advice, the engineering firm is in the process of securing funding to help move into larger manufacturing premises in Oldham.

All the 2017 shortlisted businesses will be unveiled at a reception in March or April at Innovative Technology in Derker. They will also attend the final award dinner at Queen Elizabeth Hall on May 12, where the overall winners will be announced to 500 guests.