One of Hamilton’s most significant heritage sites will embrace its history in October when it hosts the Hamilton Central Business Association’s 2018 CBD Celebration Awards.
Entries are now closed for the CBD Awards which will be held on the first floor of the former Hamilton Hotel. The 96-year-old heritage building on Victoria Street’s south end is set to be repurposed as part of the wider development site for the new Waikato Regional Theatre.
The CBD Awards recognise and celebrate businesses that contribute to the vibrancy of Hamilton’s CBD and aim to showcase business excellence.
General manager Vanessa Williams said having the 2018 awards in the old Hamilton Hotel was significant.
“The venue is steeped in history and has seen many nights of celebration and glamour,” she said.
“With the hotel soon becoming part of the new theatre development and the heritage features renewed, we wanted to remember it in its original form. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the history and future potential of this beautiful building than by celebrating its neighboring businesses, who are all contributing to a fantastic CBD.”
Ms Williams said preparation for the venue was coming along well.
“The first floor of the hotel, where the awards will be held, has been empty for some time, but is being recreated with the exceptional efforts of Foster Maintain who are working really hard to provide a celebration space befitting of the CBD.
“It’s going to be a night to remember.”
Ms Williams encouraged CBD businesses to enter the awards as an opportunity to share their stories, celebrate achievements and be recognised for their success.
“We have an impressive number of businesses in the CBD delivering excellent products and services locally, nationally and internationally,” she said.
“It’s also important for the wider public to know that Hamilton has these fantastic businesses and to be proud that there is such a high caliber group of them in the central city.”
There are two main awards businesses can enter, the CBD Success Awards or the CBD Best Awards.
The CBD Success Awards will announce a winner in each business category: retail, tourism and hospitality, professional services, trade services, and social enterprise. The CBD Best Awards recognises businesses making a significant contribution to the CBD. All entries are judged by a panel of 12 Hamilton business leaders and announced at the awards evening on Wednesday 3 October.
The Success and Best awards categories were introduced in 2017, and Ms Williams said the revamped format attracted a record number of entries and has done so again.
“We have received another record number of entries this year with over 70 entrants across the categories. The calibre of the participants is extremely high and definitely a cause for celebration of Hamilton’s CBD," she said.
The CBD Celebration Awards is sponsored by The Breeze, Waikato Times and Foster Maintain, with support from Gothenburg Restaurant and Primo Vino for catering, Moving Media for photos and video, sound and lighting by SBI Productions and venue design and decoration by Royal Laboratorie.
For more information and to enter the CBD Celebration Awards, visit cbdcelebrationawards.co.nz. Tickets are limited and can be purchased for $65 by emailing admin@hamiltoncentral.co.nz.