ONE way or another INSPIRE15 will have the wow factor.

That is the aim of Phil Wilding, who is the chairman of the Inspire Business Awards steering group.

He is also managing director of Hampshire building firm Wilding Butler, which once again is sponsoring the Business of the Year Award.

The category, one of 13 up for grabs, is the top accolade of the awards night that is set to take place in November.

Phil has high expectations for this year’s entries for the award.

“Because the awards have got bigger and better known it has attracted some very high calibre entries and some of them have been exceptional.”

Referring to last year’s winner of the top award, Basingstoke-based EC Electronics, Phil described the firm as “a company that north Hampshire can truly be proud of.

“It felt like a large company, but also a family-orientated business.

“One of the criteria we are looking for is that the Business of the Year winner has got to be a standard bearer of success for north Hampshire.”

Phil said the award is open to dynamic growing businesses with entrants demonstrating outstanding achievement in all areas of their business, demonstrating a clear vision for the future and sustained growth.

In discussing the Inspire Business Awards, Phil said: “We always try to build on and improve the awards, just like a business that is constantly trying to improve on its previous results.

“Each year we always look to see how we can improve the award night, which is quite difficult, but we like to fine tune it based on the feedback we receive.”

Phil and the Destination Basingstoke team, which organise the annual awards, are currently considering suitable venues for this November’s gala awards night.

“We want people who attend to say wow that was great, whether that’s for the venue, or the entertainment or some other aspect of the night.

“We don’t want to keep doing the same thing – we want to keep it fresh.

“It’s going to be a cracking awards night – I can guarantee that.”