Hailsham Business Awards 2026 Winners Announced
The inaugural Hailsham Business Awards took place on Friday 25 September 2026 at Blackstock Country Estate, bringing businesses and organisations from across the area together to celebrate their achievements.
The awards were supported by Lightning Fibre as headline sponsor, with Lightning Fibre's Head of Marketing, Emma Pearce, also joining the judging panel.
Celebrating Hailsham businesses
The awards followed months of nominations, public voting, independent mystery shopping and judging, with winners announced across a range of categories.
The mystery shopping element gave the judges an opportunity to assess the customer experience provided by the finalists, alongside the information submitted as part of the awards process.
The independent judging panel was led by Alex Polizzi, TV's Hotel Inspector and owner of The Star in Alfriston, along with Emma Pearce from Lightning Fibre, Paul Matthews from insight6 and Steve Pickering from Sussex Beds.
MissionFiit had a memorable evening, winning the Health & Wellbeing Award, sponsored by Hart Reade LLP, before being named the first winner of the Overall Business Award, sponsored by Lightning Fibre.
The judges highlighted MissionFiit’s exceptional mystery shopping result and customer reviews, as well as its growth, use of technology and involvement in local community and fundraising activities.
Hailsham Business Awards 2026 winners
- Small Business: Millies
Sponsored by Stevens & Carter - Medium Business: Hailsham Chiropractic
Sponsored by Watson Associates - Large Business: Britannia Beckwith
Sponsored by Hailsham News - Charity & Community Impact: Hailsham Boxing Club
Sponsored by Hailsham Town Council - Health & Wellbeing: MissionFiit
Sponsored by Hart Reade LLP - Young Achiever: Callum Ralph, Creative Curtains & Blinds
Sponsored by Rustico - Hospitality Excellence: Hops & Ground
Sponsored by Print Matters - Creative Media & Advertising: Stears Photography
Sponsored by The Royal Indian - Outstanding Professional Services: ECK Bookkeeping
Sponsored by Fieldskill - Property Professional: Roland Dunn Estate Agents
Sponsored by DesignLab Signs & Print - Trade Excellence: TQ Mechanix
Sponsored by Sussex Audiology - Overall Business Award: MissionFiit
Sponsored by Lightning Fibre, Headline Sponsor
Lightning Fibre supports the awards
Lightning Fibre was represented at the awards by CEO Bertrand Mazieres, Head of Marketing Emma Pearce and Head of Business Partnerships Joe Brownell. Emma also presented the Overall Business Award to MissionFiit.
Speaking about the evening, Bertrand said:
“It was an absolute pleasure for Lightning Fibre to support the Hailsham business community, one of our main business broadband network areas. It was a very professionally run awards process, and the event really brought the local community together to celebrate young entrepreneurs and established, successful businesses that deliver exceptional customer experiences. We loved it. Congratulations everyone!”
Supporting local businesses and organisations is part of Lightning Fibre’s wider community involvement across East Sussex. The company provides full fibre broadband to homes and businesses in Hailsham and across the surrounding area.
The awards provided an opportunity to recognise businesses of different sizes and from a wide range of sectors, while highlighting the work being done by local businesses to support their customers and communities.
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and to the Hailsham & District Chamber of Commerce team behind the first Hailsham Business Awards.
