The reigning champion of the Enterprising Britain competition, Scarborough, is celebrating again after being named the most enterprising place in Europe at this year's European Enterprise Awards.
Run by the European Commission, the Awards saw Scarborough take the Grand Jury Prize, making it the overall winner, and in the jury's view, the most creative and inspiring entrepreneurship initiative in Europe.
The seaside town was up against the best of European enterprise, including Finland's capital city, Helsinki; Spain's second biggest port, Valencia; and Liege in Belgium, known for its beer, chocolate and water exports. Despite its population of just 50,000 - tiny in comparison to its competitors - Scarborough's work to encourage people to start-up and grow businesses and create jobs saw it awarded the top prize at a gala dinner in Prague's Zofin Palace on Wednesday evening.
Part of European SME Week, which runs from 6 - 14 May 2009, the European Enterprise Awards recognise outstanding initiatives that support enterprise and entrepreneurship. The awards are inspired by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's (BERR) successful Enterprising Britain competition, which celebrates and rewards the most enterprising places in the UK.
Congratulating the winners, Secretary of State for Business Minister, Lord Mandelson, said: "A strong enterprise culture inspires communities and creates jobs - something which is vital during these uncertain economic times.
"I would therefore like to congratulate the Scarborough Renaissance Partnership on their success and in being recognised not just as the most enterprising place in UK but in Europe".
Scarborough's winning bid was led by the Scarborough Renaissance Partnership, a coalition of local entrepreneurs, Scarborough Borough Council staff and residents, which transformed what was a seaside resort in decline into a thriving enterprise hotspot. Achievements include stamping out seasonal unemployment, diversifying to grow new industry sectors and attracting more than £200m of private sector investment.
The Partnership's work reduced the town's economic dependence on the declining tourism and fishing industries, capitalised on the physical regeneration of the harbourside, kick-started a boom in business start-ups and introduced free wifi internet access along the coast, making the internet accessible to all.
Scarborough businessman, Tony Peers, leader of the Partnership's Town Team which steers the project, said: "This win, on top of being named the most enterprising place in Britain, means the world to us. I'm incredibly proud of everyone who's been involved. The whole town has embraced the enterprise cause and to be recognised again in this way will really spur us on to become even more enterprising in the future - especially given the current economic climate. Coastal towns have traditionally experienced economic challenges so I hope what we've achieved inspires people to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel if entrepreneurs are supported and encouraged."
Scarborough was named winner of Enterprising Britain 2008 at a Downing Street awards ceremony held last October.
Harry Rich, Chief Executive of Enterprise Insight, the national enterprise campaign which runs the Enterprising Britain competition on behalf of BERR, said of Scarborough's continued success:
"Scarborough is stunning evidence of what happens when businesses, local people and the public sector work together to beat economic challenges by embedding a vibrant enterprise culture. Enterprise will get the UK out of the downturn and Scarborough wining the European Enterprise Awards is a richly deserved boost for the town and for the UK as a whole. Enterprise Insight is working hard with government to help places up and down the country to learn from Scarborough's success as a beacon of enterprise."
