Monmouthshire's 'brightest and best' companies have been celebrated at the 2013 Monmouthshire Business Awards.

Almost 200 guests, including Economy, Science and Transport Minister Edwina Hart, Monmouth MP David Davies, Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay and representatives of Monmouthshire County Council, attended the awards ceremony at the Marriot St Pierre Hotel & Country Club, Chepstow, on October 11.

Now in their second year, the MBAs, which are sponsored by Monmouthshire County Council with support from Business Wales, recognise innovation, talent and enterprise in the wider local community.

The event, hosted by former ITV Wales presenter Hwyel James, saw nearly 30 local businesses shortlisted for honours in 13 award categories.

Sophies Creative Bows, the Rogiet-based event decoration firm, walked away with the Most Promising Business Start Up award while Sophie Laurie, founder of Monmouth-based dog grooming company Shampooch, received the Young Entrepreneur award.

The Best Food Tourism Business award went to Parva Farm Vineyard in Tintern, while Abergavenny-based Chantlers Teas picked up the Excellence in Retailing award.

Other winners included the Green Waste Company in Abergavenny for Best Diversity in Farming, Spectrum Internet for Innovation in Business, the Abergavenny Food Festival for Excellence in Environmental & Sustainability, Chepstow Walkers are Welcome for Best Social Enterprise, and the Marriott St Pierre Hotel for Training and Excellence in People Development.

Transportation firm Hicks Logistics, based in Caldicot, scooped two awards - Excellence in Marketing and Company Demonstrating Sustained Growth. And the Company of the Year title went to Chepstow-based Reid Lifting, a market leader in the design and manufacture of lifting equipment.

The final award of the evening, the Judges Choice award - presented to one of the shortlisted finalists deemed to be the best entrant overall - went to Wynndel Property Management.

Celebrity judges Sylvia Marshall, Daily Mirror columnist and entrepreneur, and MoneyMagpie.com founder Jasmine Birtles praised the Chepstow-based property developer for an 'incredible year' which saw numerous award nominations and high-profile endorsements for its two luxury residential developments: Severn Quay and Naturally Woodlands.

The sponsors of this year'sawards were Monmouthshire County Council; Palamedes PR; Northern Automotive Systems; Finance Wales; University of South Wales, Newport; CEDS; Adventa; Monmouthshire Housing; Severn Quay; Spectrum Internet; Mabey Bridge; Monmouthshire Enterprise; Parker & Co.