After a sparkling ceremony at Cheltenham Town Hall celebrating the event's fifth year, SoGlos is delighted to reveal the winners of this year's Gloucestershire Business Awards!
Shining the spotlight on the county's very best businesses and organisations, the event brought together partners, finalists and special guests to exclusively reveal the winners and highly commended businesses — including the coveted overall Business of the Year 2025, handpicked by headline co-partners Hazlewoods and Willans LLP solicitors.
The event was a huge success – with special thanks to our event partner The Cheltenham Trust, which provided our spectacular venue, drinks and a delicious supper; our inimitable compère, Steve Knibbs; Tux Fizz, who performed an electrifying set at the exclusive afterparty; and the whole SoGlos team for helping to make the magic happen.
The winners are...
Gloucestershire Business Awards 2025 winners
New Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: Clockwise
Winner: Feel Complete
Stonehouse-based Feel Complete launched in 2022 with a mission to create a functional, everyday food product that's healthy and tastes amazing. Since launching its unique Aura Salt in April 2025, it has won awards, national recognition and a coveted spot on the shelves of prestigious London department store, Fortnum & Mason – with plans to launch in supermarkets soon, too.
Highly commended: SecondLife
Innovative Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: Hartpury University and Hartpury College
Winner: TBS Engineering
TBS Engineering has revolutionised both factory floor efficiency and worker wellbeing in the automotive battery manufacturing sector with its pioneering semi-automated module for cell building machines. Its incredible innovation has reduced handling time from 10 to 2.5 seconds and positively impacted 8,000 workers worldwide, leading to high demand and strong sales potential, with more growth forecast for the future.
Highly commended: Hewer Facilities Management
Growth Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: The Growth Hub
Winner: Markey Group
With incredible increases in both turnover and net profit in the last four years, as well as increasing its headcount significantly, Markey Group is a longstanding Gloucestershire institution that's showing no signs of slowing down. Its two largest trading entities, Markey Construction and Premiere Kitchens, have demonstrated impressive growth in turnover and margins; won new customers and contracts; and turned around complex projects that competitors couldn't handle, all while maintaining competitive prices and excellent customer service.
Highly commended: CSA Cyber
Family Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: QuoLux
Winner: Markey Group
The second award of the night for Markey Group, this company has nurtured the careers of multiple generations. Its family values of pride, energy, openness, progressiveness, leadership and embracing difference are woven throughout the fabric of the business – and while traditional values remain at its heart, it makes room for the newest family members to bring fresh perspectives and positive change to guide the company towards continued success.
Highly commended: Badham Pharmacy
Sustainable Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: StillMoving
Winner: Cheltenham Lido
Cheltenham Lido is the winner of this award for its efforts to decarbonise the beloved Grade II-listed swimming pool which opened in the 1930s. This huge undertaking, which included the installation of solar panels, a new boiler, new heat exchangers, insulation, energy saving lighting, EV chargers and structural repairs to reduce water loss, has helped to preserve the legacy of this beautiful building for future generations.
Highly commended: Wildwood Ecology
Rural Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: Gloucestershire County Council
Winner: Cirencester Park
Contributing millions of pounds to the local economy, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and hosting high-profile events, as well as taking care of the local community by nurturing local start-ups and SMEs; facilitating free access for bursary students, charities, educational and community groups; and working hard to restore and conserve the natural environment and endangered species, our Sustainable Business of the Year 2025 is Cirencester Park.
Highly commended: Iron & Earth Equipment
Best Place to Work Award 2025
Category partner: NUYU Dental & Aesthetics
Winner: Holiday Architects
With its belief that 'a genuinely happy team leads to genuinely happy clients', Holiday Architects takes home the trophy for Best Place to Work Award 2025, with 100 per cent of colleagues recommending it as one of the best workplaces in travel. Its close-knit team all have a shared passion and a collective mission to do their very best, with a workplace culture that fosters trust, respect, personal and professional development, where everyone's voice is heard.
Highly commended: First Thought Care Services
Customer Excellence Award 2025
Category partner: The Modern Firm
Winner: Ceiling Tiles UK
Customer excellence is embedded within Ceiling Tiles UK, describing the pursuit of the perfect customer experience as 'its North Star'. From answering calls in under two rings, emails in under 20 minutes and resolving issues in less than an hour for customers, to investing hours in staff training and prioritising 'morals over margin', the business sees customers returning again and again.
Highly commended: Holiday Architects
Business Leader of the Year 2025
Category partner: Optimising IT
Winner: Mark Goucher – Everyman Theatre
Mark Goucher has led the Everyman Theatre through the most extraordinary challenges, from the complete shutdown of the entertainment industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, into a new era of growth. Blending artistic vision with business acumen, he has helped the theatre achieve strong financial results and the most successful year on record at the box office, alongside inspiring his colleagues; protecting jobs; growing the Everyman's education and community outreach; and improving sustainability.
Highly commended: Brusk Korkmaz – Hercules PLC
Businesswoman of the Year 2025
Category partner: KW Bell Group
Winner: Clara Cardillo – The Cotswold Cardillo
Clara Cardillo has taken her Nonna's family recipes and transformed them from start-up to nationally recognised business, producing Italian-inspired snacks and meals made with the very best Cotswold ingredients. Clara also works with GARAS to provide meaningful employment opportunities and wellbeing support to refugees, all alongside raising her two primary school-aged children.
Highly commended: Tanya Buxton – Paradise Tattoo Studio
Entrepreneur of the Year 2025
Category partner: Severnside Security
Winner: Jack Cook – First Thought Care Services
Jack Cook has taken his own personal experiences and used them to inspire his business. As a care leaver himself, he has made it his mission to improve care services for others, building his business from the ground up with no external investment, just the determination to challenge what he describes as a 'broken' system. He now employs 100 people over multiple sites, has developed a bespoke care management software system and launched a brand-new SEN education provision, as well as playing a leading role in shaping the sector and mentoring other care professionals.
Highly commended: Stephanie Smith-Rowles – Pea Green Physio and Aubergine Physio
Employee of the Year 2025
Category partner: Seymour John
Winner: Roger Hendry – Everyman Theatre
Having joined the Everyman Theatre team on the day of the moon landings in 1969, Roger Hendry has made a lifelong commitment to the theatre and become one of its most loved and respected members of staff. Described as a 'constant, calm and committed presence', he is admired by colleagues and customers for his dedication, attention to detail and attitude, always willing to go above and beyond. He has helped welcome over 500 new team members, masterminded iconic props and set pieces and even saved a life in the line of duty.
Highly commended: Poppy Fletcher – Hollie Gazzard Trust
Apprentice of the Year 2025
Category partner: South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Winner: Theo Houghland – Harts Barn Cookery School
From starting out as a volunteer pot washer, Theo Houghland discovered his passion for cooking through his work at Harts Barn Cookery School and has worked his way up to cooking in Michelin star kitchens, on food festival stages and has even assisted celebrity chef Marcus Wareing on a training course. Overcoming personal challenges to find his vocation, he is now teaching classes himself to help more people succeed in the profession he loves.
Highly commended: Kobe Pope – TBS Engineering
Team of the Year 2025
Category partner: RiseHR
Winner: Moog Controls
When disaster struck in the form of a flash flood and a collapsed roof, the team at Moog Controls sprang into action. Demonstrating dedication, resilience, leadership, great communication, adaptability and quick thinking, they orchestrated not only an immediate disaster response but a comprehensive recovery plan, restoring production back to 50 per cent or normal levels within one week, surpassing targets and even making improvements for the future.
Highly commended: The Sub Rooms
Charity of the Year 2025
Category partner: Nimble Elearning
Winner: Hope for Tomorrow
Transforming cancer care, especially for rural and disadvantaged communities, with its mobile screening units, Hope for Tomorrow saves lives every day. Alongside its existing fleet of 14 mobile cancer care units, it has worked with the NHS to help develop the world's largest lung cancer screening unit – and is hoping to launch a world-first mobile children's cancer care unit soon – all with no government funding, while supporting Gloucestershire-based suppliers to help the local economy flourish, too.
Highly commended: Young Gloucestershire
Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2025
Category partner: Gloucester Quays
Winner: Greiner Bio-One
Describing itself as a business that 'doesn't just write cheques', community and environmental impact is embedded into Greiner Bio-One – from its flagship partnership with The Family Haven, where it leverages expertise throughout the organisation to make an impact; its strategic partnership with local skills hubs to provide work experience, especially for those facing barriers to employment; to its unwavering commitment to Net Zero and making a positive environmental change while maintaining commercial success.
Highly commended: Barnwood
Micro Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: 16i
Winner: Orso Publishing
This micro business punches well above its weight – in its three years of trading, Orso Publishing has seen three consecutive years of growth, more than doubling its net profits and beating multinational companies to secure high-profile contracts. It also boasts 100 per cent client retention and a fantastic package for staff, paying higher salaries than its competitors, offering flexible working and a focus on development and wellbeing.
Highly commended: Revive! Gloucester
Small Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: TrinityBridge
Winner: Aqua Construction
Having contributed to multiple significant county developments, from Gloucester's King's Quarter regeneration to converting derelict buildings into supported housing for young homeless people, this construction firm is no stranger to regional and sector awards. It prides itself on building sustainable homes that stand the rest of time and not only meets but exceeds its larger competitors in both social and private housing – with exciting sales growth on the horizon, too.
Highly commended: Decibel Fire & Security
Medium Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: FW Capital
Winner: Fasthosts Internet
From helping local businesses thrive with free hosting; providing 24/7 support and exceptional service to customers all over the country; providing academic support to the next generation of IT professionals through its partnership with Gloucestershire College; to working with local charities on artist and talent development, all from its 100 per cent renewable, Net Zero office, Fasthosts Internet is our Medium Business of the Year 2025.
Highly commended: Premiere Kitchens
Large Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: SureStore
Winner: Pro Global
Not satisfied with achieving an already ambitious revenue goal, Pro Global achieved it within five years and now plans to double it. As well as impressive annual revenue growth, Pro Global also heavily invests in its people, doubling its team within the last five years and developing its people strategy to introduce flexible hybrid working arrangements, mental health first aid, inclusion allies, improved maternity pay, great professional development opportunities and more. It has also made huge strides in CSR through its carbon reduction plan.
Highly commended: Hercules PLC
Business of the Year 2025
Category partner: Hazlewoods and Willans LLP solicitors
Winner: Aqua Construction
Finally, handpicked by Gloucestershire Business Awards headline co-partners Hazlewoods and Willans LLP, the winner of Business of the Year 2025 is Aqua Construction.
Jason Wasley, managing director of Aqua Construction said of the award: ‘It's absolutely fantastic.
‘We didn’t expect it – it recognises all the hard work and effort of the whole business and our whole team, which we've built over the last 30 years.
‘It’s massive for us. We're a small business, we've always worked on diversification rather than growth; and the growth has all been bootstrapped – within our own business with nothing external – so the recognition tonight is fantastic.’
Be part of the Gloucestershire Business Awards 2026
To find out about partnership opportunities and the chance to associate your brand with Gloucestershire's leading business awards in 2026, contact SoGlos's Partnerships Hub by emailing partnerships@sopublishing.com or calling 01242 210330.
For more information about the Gloucestershire Business Awards, see soglos.com/business-awards.
