2024 Business Awards Winners
High Growth Business of the Year
Loanhead based Flowcopter design and manufacture heavy lift drones with the aim of transforming logistics in sectors traditionally reliant on helicopters. Their innovative technology is geared towards providing a more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for transporting larger payloads across longer distances. Applications for their drones are targeted in areas such as offshore wind farm maintenance, crop spraying and humanitarian aid. The team has grown from 1 employee in 2019 to 17 in 2024, including a move to a larger facility at the end of 2023. www.flowcopter.com
Best Innovation in Business
The Melville Golf Centre is the oldest practice range in the Lothians and has spent the past 5 years upgrading their facility for the modern golfer. Toptracer Ball tracking technology in the bays, Powertee popup tees, robots replacing tractors, and a custom-built online booking solution allowing golfers to guarantee their visit without waiting in lengthy queues, are all innovations which have brought a large increase in footfall, particularly from younger golfers who have embraced playing virtual golf courses and the animated augmented reality, transforming the golfing experiences for families, beginners and seasoned golfers. https://melvillegolf.com/
Best Environmental Impact
Agilico’s goal is to maximise operational effectiveness and make work easier through cutting-edge workplace technology including the latest office equipment and printers, business telecoms and IT, and innovative software products for invoice processing. Working towards being net zero by 2030, the company opened their recycling centres in 2012 to give a new lease of life to used machines. They are also working on ambitious carbon reductions targets and in 2023 over 10% of their company car fleet became fully electric, and 50% of their vehicle fleet hybrid. www.agilico.co.uk
Best Commitment to Youth Development
Celebrating 60 years in business in 2023, CSY Architects deliver architecture in Edinburgh & the Lothians, the Scottish Borders and Northumberland. As an employee-owned Architectural practice, every team member at the company is personally invested in ensuring all projects make a positive difference to their communities. They believe in supporting people to be their best, beginning with school-age placements, through apprenticeships, and their ongoing commitment to upskilling and continuing professional development within the team. This commitment has led to positive impacts for the individuals involved, as well as for the CSY Architects team and wider profession. www.csyarchitects.com
Best Community Impact
Penicuik Storehouse is a Community Benefit Society serving as café and selling locally and/or ethically produced foods and crafts by local makers. They provide a free community meal each week and offer a vulnerable volunteers programme which supports adults with a variety of health/ disability needs. They also offer a Community Space for local people to meet, and host dedicated community events to bring together members of the community. Over the last 5 years, Penicuik Storehouse has grown their pool of employed staff and volunteers including vulnerable volunteers and increased their revenue. https://www.penicuikstorehouse.org
Best Tourism Business
Founded in 1446, as the Collegiate Church of St Matthew, Rosslyn Chapel today attracts visitors from far and wide, drawn by its unique and mysterious carvings and the beauty of its setting. The Chapel and visitor centre are open all year round, both for daytime visits and private out-of-hours visits. Free ‘welcome’ leaflets, with maps of the carvings, are now available in 14 translations. A state-of-the-art visitor centre tells the Chapel’s story – from its 15th century origins, through the Reformation, to the Da Vinci Code movie – and has an attractive coffee shop and gift shop. www.rosslynchapel.com
Food & Drink Producer of the Year
A family-run Scottish brewery, dedicated to sustainability, quality, relationships, and fun. They supply over 600 outlets and in addition run on-site retail, restaurant and brew your own experiences. Their mission is to craft innovative, exceptional beer while staying true to their principles and connecting people through great taste. They value community respect, adaptability, and the joy of brewing. A key focus for the upcoming year is the strategic expansion of their market presence. They plan to intensify efforts in exporting our craft beers to the rest of the UK and Europe. www.stewartbrewing.co.uk
Best Eatery Award
Making guests feel welcome is second nature at the 120 seat Radhuni in Loanhead. They are renowned for complementing authentic Indian and Bangladeshi food with a first-class standard of service. The restaurant has won many significant awards, and in 2023 Curry Life named it UK’s best curry restaurant. It is the only restaurant in Scotland to have had a brand of best-selling Walkers Crisps named after it. Despite all these accolades, for owner Habibur Khan, value for money will remain key. The Radhuni and sister restaurant Itihaas in Dalkeith also support many local organisations. www.theradhuni.co.uk
Family Business of the Year
Family owned and run by two generations, Saltire Hospitality cater for a diverse range of events - from elegant weddings and seamless corporate conferences to intimate private dinners and office lunch deliveries. They take immense pride in creating culinary perfection - sourcing the finest, freshest, and the most local ingredients from reputable Scottish suppliers including their in-house patisserie which creates freshly baked breads and hand-crafted delicious desserts. Their financial growth is evident by their substantial turnover and profit margins. Their commitment to sustainability includes investments in electric vehicles and solar panels. https://www.saltirehospitality.co.uk/
New Business of the Year
Gensource are committed to providing comprehensive, bespoke, and long-term sustainability energy systems for both commercial and domestic customers. From solar and storage to EV charging and monitoring and optimisation, they offer a range of solutions tailored to your specific needs. Established in 2022, Gensource has secured a commercial contract that represents 80% of their year 2 turnover target and developed strong working partnerships with a network of electrical and roofing partners. As they look to grow, they are considering new market and technology opportunities that help facilitate the energy transition and decarbonise our economy. https://gensource.co.uk/
Micro Business of the Year
Beyond Green provides consultancy services for businesses who want to improve their sustainability objectives such as reducing operational costs, winning awards for their sustainability work and inspire their workforce. Their client services cover strategic development and objective setting, operational and regulatory compliance (environmental), researching circular economy opportunities and more. Beyond Green delivers value to their clients by empowering them to make informed decisions about their environmental impacts and their journey to Net Zero. www.beyond-green.com
SME of the Year
Audio Light Systems provide integrated professional audio visual & lighting systems for consultants, architects, contractors and individual clients. They have a diverse sales & engineering team, with extensive knowledge and experience of AV, Pro Audio, Acoustics, Pro Lighting, Small Power & Data, Studio & Stage Rigging and Commercial Systems. Celebrating 20 years in business this year, the company have seen steady growth in the few years during which time they have been implementing software systems, training programs & ISO requirements. These developments enhance their opportunities to tender on larger contracts & projects further afield. https://audiolightsystems.com/
Local Hero
John Keogh is our Local Hero 2024 because of the fantastic work he has done for the homeless community in setting up “The Ootsider”.
John retired from an impressive work career in 2017, his last position being Head of Engineering at Jabil Electronics in Livingston. The concept of “The Ootsider” began in December 2021 when John was walking down Buchanan St in Glasgow at Christmas time. On talking with the homeless – yes, he didn’t walk past! - he realised that what was more valuable to them than a McDonalds or cash, was something 100% waterproof that would protect them and their belongings from the elements.
A wild swimmer himself, John was familiar with waterproof changing robes. Using his vast career experience, John set about setting up a CIC (Community Interest Company) so that he could take donations and grants, as well as manufacture and sell products commercially. And so “The Ootsider” was born!
His waterproof “Ootsider” coats sell to those who enjoy the great outdoors, and the coat is also excellent for wheelchair users. He reinvests profits to provide “Sleeping Coats” (sleeping bag conversion of the coat) FREE of CHARGE to those sleeping rough.
Ootsiders garments are manufactured solely in Scotland to very high standards and the business focuses on working towards Net-Zero Omissions and the Circular Economy. John hopes business growth will create jobs in Scotland.
The Ootsider and the Gyle Shopping Centre Edinburgh collaborated for the “Big Ootsider Sleep Out” on 4th November 2023 and raised in excess of £5,000.