Property services firm Ian Williams and bakery Ministry of Cake are the winners of the region’s most prestigious business awards.
The firms came out top at accountants PwC’s annual West of England Business of the Year Awards, which were announced at a gala dinner this week. 
Chipping Sodbury-based Ian Williams provides a range of to the property sector ranging from painting to bathroom and kitchen refurbishments and renewable energy.
The firm, formed in 1946, works with the private and public sectors across the UK from 13 regional offices.
It won the large business category – for firms turning over more than £30m – in which it competed against four other contenders including Curo, the Bath-based housing and support organisation, and Corsham-based pharmaceutical manufacturing company Bath ASU.
Taunton-based Ministry of Cake, which makes a range of high-quality desserts, won the category for firms with a turnover of less than £30m, beating three other businesses.
Previous winners read like a who’s who of the region’s blue-chip businesses and include Mitie, the fast-growing Bristol-based outsourcing group, Wiltshire-based household appliance giant Dyson, and Swindon-based construction group Beard.
The coveted awards were staged this year for 28th time. Over that time they have built a solid reputation based firmly on the thoroughness of the judging panel, which is made up of respected business figures from across the region and previous winners.
Wednesday’s gala dinner at Brunel’s Old Station in Bristol was hosted by Ian Axton of ITV Westcountry. The awards were staged in association with Circle2Success and Devon and Cornwall Business Council. Bath Business News was once again the awards’ official media partner with its sister titles Swindon Business News and Bristol Business News.
Full details of the winners and photos from the gala dinner will appear in next week’s Bath Business News e-bulletin.
