Best of British Business Announced

National Business Awards Sponsored by Orange 2009

LONDON, November 11 - Over 1200 business leaders and guests including keynote
speaker Alistair Darling, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, attended the
Orange-sponsored National Business Awards, to celebrate the success of the
UK's most innovative, ethical and resilient businesses in 2009.

"I am so pleased to be invited to this year's National
Business Awards. It is the pinnacle of business awards ceremonies and this is
where Britain's best, from across the public and private sectors, get the
recognition and reward they deserve", said Alistair Darling, Chancellor of
the Exchequer, speaking at The Awards tonight.

17 organisations and individuals were rewarded for their
contributions to business success in Britain including Co-op boss Peter Marks
who won the Orange Leader of the Year award. The public was invited to vote
for their favourite leader to win the accolade and their votes were combined
with those of an expert panel of 25 judges to make the final tough decision.

Liverpool's T.J. Morris - Home Bargains won the 3i Private
Business of the Year category; London-based Inmarsat triumphed with the
Coutts & Co Large-Cap Business of the Year Award; and ASOS, the online
fashion and beauty retailer, was presented with the Grant Thornton Mid-Cap
Business of the Year Award. It was Sir Philip Hampton, Chairman, RBS who won
the coveted Daily Telegraph Award for Decade of Excellence in Business.

"The tenacity, resilience, and pure determination of these
organisations is something quite special. This is Orange's eighth year of
sponsorship of these awards and every year the bar gets higher, and every
year the winners make the grade. At Orange we know the value of external
recognition and all of the winners deserve to take the credit. They have
opened their doors to scrutiny, been quizzed by the judges and have now been
crowned the winners. We wish them all ongoing success and will watch with
enthusiasm to see how they continue to develop going forward", said, Martin
Stiven, Vice President of Business at Orange UK.

Public service organisations also fared well with The
Environment Agency, based in Bristol, securing the Better Regulation Award.
Forensic Pathways & Cambridgeshire Constabulary won the Orange Best Use of
Technology in Business Award for its innovative private public partnership
that set out to improve the management of police evidence and intelligence
across Cambridgeshire. As the first adopter of FPL's state-of-the-art
technology now being rolled out across the globe, the Cambridge Force has
seen significant upturns in efficiency and corresponding downturns in
operating costs.

A category peppered with first class enterprises, the much
sought after Santander Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year accolade,
went to Suffolk's Go Ape! High Wire Forest Adventure. "It's past, one not
without challenges, has brought to a healthy present and the Chief Gorilla
(also known as Tristram Mayhew when he's off duty) has laid out a careful and
measured path to a diversified future and long term prosperity. The judges
felt Go Ape! have all the makings of a model small-to-medium sized business",
said Robert Janes, Vice Chairman of Judges.

Commenting on the caliber and strength of the public and private sector
organisations taking part in The National Business Awards this year, Philip
Forrest, Chairman of Judges, said:

"All finalists have demonstrated great strength in the ability
to adapt and innovate quickly in response to challenging circumstances this
year. We're seeing a diverse range of businesses enjoying success, which
should rightly stimulate confidence for any organisation to invest in both
financial and human capital terms in UK plc. On behalf of the judges I would
like to offer our congratulations to all finalists and winners on their
achievement to date and wish them continuing success in the year ahead."

Open to organisations of all sizes from all sectors across the
UK, The National Business Awards, sponsored Orange, is the UK's most
prestigious independent business recognition platform with its particular
emphasis on success, innovation and ethical business. The National Business
Awards connects the nations' professionals through its annual awards
ceremonies and round-table events and is United Business Media's leading
awards programme.

Visit www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk for the full list of
finalists and winners.

WINNERS THE NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS SPONSORED BY ORANGE

    - The Orange Leader of the Year Award
      Winner: Peter Marks, CEO, Co-Operative Group, Manchester, M60 4ES

    - The 3i Private Business of the Year Award
      Winner: TJ Morris - Home Bargains, Liverpool, L11 0JA

    - The Coutts & Co Large-Cap Business of the Year Award
      Winner: Inmarsat, London, EC1Y 1AX

    - The Grant Thornton Mid-Cap Business of the Year Award
      Winner: ASOS, London, NW1 7FB

    - The Daily Telegraph Award for Decade of Excellence in Business
      Winner: Sir Philip Hampton, Chairman, The Royal Bank of Scotland

    - The Orange Best Use of Technology in Business Award
      Winner: Forensic Pathways and Cambridge Constabulary, Tamworth, B77 5ES

    - The Better Regulation Award
      Winner: The Environment Agency, Bristol, BS10 6BF

    - The Health, Work and Well-being Award
      Winner: Artizian, Wargrave, Berkshire, RG10 8PZ

    - The Health, Work and Well-being for Small Business Award
      Winner: The Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough, YO11 2AG

    - The ICAEW Corporate Responsibility Award
      Winner: Framptons, Shepton Mallet, BA4 4BW

    - The Santander Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year Award
      Winner: Go Ape!, Bury St Edmunds, IP29 5HH

    - The businesslink.gov.uk Growth Strategy of the Year Award
      Winner: dotDigital, Croydon, CR0 0XT

    - The IMechE Business Innovation of the Year Award
      Winner: Addison Lee, London, NW1 3ER

    - The Customer Focus Award
      Winner: DPD, Smethwick, B66 1BY

    - The Entrepreneur of the Year Award
      Winner: Sara Murray - buddi, London, SW3 2ND

    - The Marketing Strategy of the Year Award
      Winner: HMRC, London, SW1A 2HQ

    - The Employer of the Year Award
      Winner: Cirrus Communication Systems, New Milton, BH25 5NN

Note to editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA
Photowire. It can be downloaded from www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or
viewed at www.mediapoint.press.net or www.prnewswire.co.uk.

    For further information and images please contact:

    The National Business Awards
    Henriette Svensen - Communications Manager
    Telephone: +44(0)20-7234-8753 / +44(0)7725-221-714
    Email: henriette.svensen@ubm.com

    Visit: www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk

For further information and images please contact: The National Business Awards, Henriette Svensen - Communications Manager, Telephone: +44(0)20-7234-8753 / +44(0)7725-221-714, Email: henriette.svensen at ubm.com