Inara Systems wins Judges’ Prestige Award at Grantham Journal Business Awards 2024

The Judges’ Prestige Award left the winner in shock.

All the finalists in the room at the Grantham Journal Business Awards 2024 - not just the winners - were considered for the Judges’ Prestige Award, which was introduced 11 years ago, in 2013.

The trophy, sponsored by Pentangle Engineering, is handed on each year to the next winner - with this year’s recipient having their name added to it.

Nigel Rivers, from Pentangle, in announcing the winner said they were “leading the way in their industry locally” with their offering “crucial to the success of any modern day business and their success is very much testament to the outstanding customer service they provide”.

He added: “This business is blazing a trail. It is solid and secure with a great future ahead.”

The winner this year was Inara Systems - a finalist in the Customer Care category, which lost out to MD Jewellers.

Manager director John Youens, from the IT firm which has just six staff members, said he had “absolutely no idea” the firm was about to be announced the winner of the sought-after prize.

“Coming here tonight, we just thought we’re already winners to get this far so we didn’t win our category, we weren’t too disappointed because we were having a fantastic time.

“But when we got announced the winner of this prize, it came as a complete and utter shock. We never thought in a million years we would get this and it just means so, so much.

“We have been going for 10 years and we have never won a prize so for this to be our first prize is really unbelievable. We are just so grateful.”