A Bedfordshire hair and beauty salon proved itself top of the crop when it was named company of the year in the 2008 Bedfordshire & Luton Business Excellence Awards.

Maxwells Professional Hair and Beauty Salon, based in Hitchin Street, Biggleswade, picked up honours in the customer care excellence category, the business training category and was named small/medium sized business of the year.

To see a gallery of all the pictures taken on the night, click here

Maxwells was also named company of the year to take home the blue riband award of the night.

Salon director Ian Hendry, of Maxwells, said his salon's success was due to his staff. "All members of the team have a personal connection to the business and are very much part of it," he said. "We select our employees very carefully."

Maxwells, which has 34 members of staff, have already tasted success this year, being named Salon of the Year at a prestige industry awards event.

The gala event, at the Park Inn in Bedford, on Thursday,was hosted by TV sports pundit Ray Stubbs and a black tie audience was regaled with an hilarious and topical speech by former MP, novelist and wit Gyles Brandreth.

The winners on the on the night were:

Champions of Learning
(sponsored by the Learning & Skills Council)
Winner: Vic Graves, Learning In Action
Highly Commended: The Cutting Corner, Luton.

Green Business Award
(sponsored by Beds County Council)
Winner: Hain Celestial, Luton
Highly Commended: Green-Link (Luton).

Shining Star Award
(sponsored by Barnfield College)
Winner: Catherine Holt, Stopsley High School, Luton
Highly commended: Rahul Bhikna, Rufios bar, Luton.

Employee Of The Year
(sponsored by Keens Shay Keens)
Winner: Simon Adams, Parallel Ltd, Cranfield
Highly commended: Iain Pink, e-financial management, Luton

Customer Care Excellence
(sponsored by Premier Newspapers)
Winner: Maxwells Hair & Beauty, Biggleswade
Highly commended: Steve Hilliard Hairdressing, Luton & Ampthill

www.business of the year
(sponsored by Bedford Borough Council)
Winner: Buy-Local.net Ltd, Bedford
Highly commended: Asset Resourcing, Luton

Business Training Award
(sponsored by Bedford College Training Services)
Winner: Maxwells Hair & Beauty, Biggleswade
Highly commended: The Cutting Corner, Luton.

Best Retail/Leisure Business
Winner: The White Horse, Bedford
Highly commended: Buy-Local.Net Ltd, Bedford.

New Business Of The Year
Winner: Preen Community Interest, Biggleswade
Highly commended: Nadeem Brothers, Luton

Innovation Award
(sponsored by the University of Bedfordshire)
Winner: Bedford Borough Council's Commercial Landlords Accreditation Scheme.
Highly commended: Dental Services Direct Equipment Supplies, Dunstable

Small/Medium Business Of The Year
(sponsored by Axis Electronics)
Maxwells Hair & Beauty, Biggleswade
Highly commended: Parallel Ltd, Cranfield.

Company of the Year
(sponsored by The Chamber)
Maxwells Hair & Beauty, Biggleswade