MERTON BEST BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

The winners of this year’s Merton Best Business Awards have been announced, recognising the incredible work of local companies, entrepreneurs and charities across the borough.

The December 1st awards ceremony at the All England Lawn Tennis Club brought together all the finalists to celebrate their achievements. MOBO-award winning artist and entrepreneur, Rachel Kerr, handed awards to the winners in categories such as Team Spirit, The Extra Mile and Kindness in the Community.

The MBBAs were redesigned for 2021 to recognise the challenges faced by businesses during the pandemic. A range of new categories and an easier application process attracted the highest ever number of applications in the awards’ nine-year history.

Wimbledon’s healthy eating enterprise, Lu-Ma Café, won awards for ‘Star of the Year’ and ‘In the Face of Adversity’, and were crowned Overall Winner. The judges were impressed by their ability to adapt their business to cope with the pandemic as well as introducing support for mental health and wellbeing.

Wimbledon Bookfest took home the ‘Arts & Culture’ award, the ‘Climate Action’ award went to Cullens Clearances for taking steps during the pandemic to reduce their carbon footprint. The Dons Local Action Group won both the ‘Breakthrough Charity’ award and the ‘Kindness in the Community’ award for their exceptional work during the pandemic.

Read on for all the winners and runners up at the Merton Best Business Awards 2021

Arts and Culture Award

Winner – Wimbledon BookFest

Runner Up – The Wimbledon Group

Best for Innovation and Customer Focus

Winner – XO Chocolate

Runner Up – Finling Associates Ltd

Breakthrough Charity Award

Winner – Dons Local Action Group

Runner Up – Sustainable Merton

‍Climate Action Award

Winner – Cullens Clearances Ltd

Runner Up – Kartee M Salon

Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner – Swords Travel

Runner Up – Bub Quiz

Hero in Business

Winner – Eternity Party Express

Runner Up – Esente Hair

‍The Extra Mile

Winner – Vintage Fish

Runner Up – Girls into Coding

Team Spirit Award

Winner – Merco Medical Staffing

Runner Up – St Raphael’s Hospice

‍Star of the Year

Winner – Lu-Ma Café

Runner Up – Mini Athletics Kingston & Wimbledon

Leader of the Year

Winner – The Pilates Clinic and Pilates Education

Runner Up – Ry Group

Innovative and Creative Technology

Winner – White Light

Runner Up – Really Helpful Club

Independent Retailer Award

Winner – Caroline Randell Lingerie Boutique

Runner Up – Eternity Party Express Ltd

In the Face of Adversity Award

Winner – Lu-Ma Cafe

Runner Up – Polka Theatre

‍Hospitality Business of the Year

Winner – Vintage Fish

Runner Up – Metronome Coffee House

Kindness in the Community

Winner – Dons Local Action Group

Overall Winner

Lu-Ma

Time & Leisure is the proud media partner for the Merton Best Business Awards 2021. Congratulations to all of the finalists and the winners!