Around 1,300 guests attended the daytime ceremony at Alexandra Palace, north London.
For the first year the awards were organised by an external company – Kent-based Beyond Media Services – working closely with the AEO and the venue.Among the award winners was technology specialist ASP Events, which claimed a hat trick of trophies including Product Supplier of the Year and Service Supplier of the Year. The team also picked up Innovation of the Year with partner company Eventex Solutions.
ASP marketing manager Charlotte Mulady said: “Having been nominated before, we knew winning wasn’t a certainty, but we hoped ASP would win at least one award. Winning adds to ASP’s credibility and will reinforce our clients’ and prospects’ confidence.”Fledgling organiser Media 10’s Grand Designs Live won both Best Consumer Launch Show and Consumer Show of the Year. The event, which launched in 2005 at Excel, had more than 43,000 visitors across three days. A sister event will take place at the NEC from 4-6 October 2006.
Media 10 managing director Lee Newton said he was thrilled that its first foray into exhibitions had won such a prestigious award. He added: “The overwhelmingly positive feedback about our London event convinced us that an event for the Midlands and north of England was required.”Other winners included EC&O Venues for Environmental Sustainability and Melville Events and Exhibitions for Shell Scheme Services and Electrical Services.
See Diary for all the winners