Hundreds of people from Shropshire’s business community gathered to celebrate the best the county has to offer last night.

More than 600 people packed into the Telford International Centre for the annual Shropshire Business Awards, which recognise the finest aspects of the county’s business community. The evening saw one Bridgnorth business walk away with two awards on a night of celebration.

The big winners were Telford e-learning specialist Pebble Learning, while Bridgnorth foundry Grainger & Worrall, which provides parts for the automotive industry, received two awards.

Elsewhere, Shukers Land Rover won the prize for customer service, Shropshire Fine Herbs the Best New Sustainable Business, and TRS Personnel in Telford, the sponsors of the town’s ice hockey team, won the Business in the Community Award.

In the Green Business category, Telford Laundry fought back from a devastating fire which destroyed the company’s premises in 2009 to scoop the award.

Other winners included Ludlow-based Hendra Healthcare in the Apprentice of the Year category, Telford College of Arts & Technology in Managing Change, and Ludlow’s Fishmore Hall in the Tourism category.

Richard Sheehan, managing director of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, said the event had gone “unbelievably well”.

He said: “There have been some big surprises. The chamber was deliberately distanced from the judging process to ensure independence, and when the results were fed back we were surprised at some of the names that had ended up as winners.

“There were some very well-known names competing for the awards, and some very strong candidates, so for some of these companies to have outperformed them is very credible.

“We are delighted and privileged to have been able to help raise the profile of some of those organisations which are quietly going about their business on a daily basis without necessarily being well known around the county.”

Next year’s event is already being planned, and is expected to eclipse previous records for the size of the ceremony.

Mr Sheehan said the 2012 Shropshire Business Awards will be held on June 15, and more than 1,000 people could be in attendance. He said: “This year’s event was a sell-out, and the celebrations and the air of excitement in the room created an electric atmosphere that spilled over into the awards and added to the pleasure and excitement for all concerned.

“We are delighted to be able to announce 2012’s event will take place on June 15 at Telford International Centre.”

By Business Editor Thom Kennedy