HUNDREDS gathered to celebrate everything worth shouting about for Bolton’s business fraternity.

And two of the winning finalists at the Bolton Business Awards 2019 had more reasons than most to raise the roof at the Last Drop Village Hotel.

Bolton Hospice walked away with a brace of awards, clinching both the not-for-profit and community prizes.

Bosses at the Exclusec Group also stepped from behind the scenes to centre stage, receiving the innovation award, for its work with installing acid attack kits to its response vehicles and deploying defibrillators.

Later the Gas Street outfit, which has provided security for a number of the awards nights, was selected as employer of the year.

Dr Leigh Vallance, hospice chief executive, said later: “This is recognition for our all our staff, volunteers and fundraisers, who never fail to impress.”

Cherry Moon won the start-up gong, Maura Jackson of Backup was business person of the year and Scan Computers was named business of the year.

ABP Technology, Thrive, Gorilla Accounting, Sushma’snacks and apprentice Caitlin Hesketh were also rewarded.

Earlier council leader Cllr David Greenhalgh told guests there was plenty for Boltonians to be proud of, with a £1.2b masterplan for Bolton town centre and regeneration cash being earmarked for Farnworth, Little Lever, Horwich and Westhoughton.

“We must shout about all the good things which are going in Bolton,” he added.

One of the other big winners was Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Hilary Fairclough, whose annual charities fund was boosted by £1,740 in raffle donations from across the hall.

The final word went to Andrew Dickson MBE, who received the Editor’s Award in recognition of his stellar career, which not only saw him found St Andrew’s Travel , and sit on ABTA’s board for 10 years but later become a driving force for Bolton FM.

He issued a rallying call for ‘the Bolton money go-round’, urging the town’s business community to always consider purchasing goods and services locally.

In a video acceptance speech, he added: “If we can’t support our own community, then who can?”

* For a full business awards evening round-up, see next Friday’s edition of The Bolton News.