Hamilton Blake Consultants LLP won the Growth Business of the Year award, sponsored by UEA, at the Norfolk Business Awards 2022. 

With offices in King’s Lynn and Norwich, Hamilton Blake is a chartered tax practice that specialises in research and development (R&D) for the architecture and engineering industries. 

Since 2020, the business has grown from three members of staff to 24 and partners with over 400 clients, including some of the largest engineers and architects in the UK. 

The judges commended Hamilton Blake as “a shining example of how growth can be achieved while remaining true to your vision, values and culture”, praising its “brilliant financial performance” and “excellent strategy for growth via employee engagement”.  

They said the strong management team has been able to identify sectors where it can make a real difference, achieving excellent financial results by proactively targeting a core market. 

“It is an incredible honour for us and the team to win the award; it is definitely a career highlight and something the team can be proud of,” said Simon Wilby, partner at Hamilton Blake Consultants LLP. “It means we can show our team that they truly are a stand-out business within the region.

“Our growth plans are ambitious and we aim to push forward by continuing to nurture talented graduates within our business. We aim to double in size within the next two to three years whilst ensuring our ethos and service levels remain consistent.”

About the sponsor

The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a UK top 30 university and a globally significant centre of research, driving social, cultural, environmental and economic innovation far beyond its Norwich campus. It is ranked in the top 50 globally for research citations and is one of the six world-leading partners of Norwich Research Park.

UEA works with businesses of all sizes and sectors to help them grow, recruit talent, and access new funding, markets and ideas.

UEA also offers facilities, networks, and the opportunity to access student talent and collaborate with world-leading experts.

The finalists

AVANT Tecno UK 

AVANT Tecno UK is a family-owned business headquartered in Bridgeham, near Thetford. The company manufactures compact multi-purpose loaders at its plant in Finland, servicing a broad range of end users through a growing network of regional dealers. 

The judges said AVANT is “an extremely strong business that Norfolk should be proud of” and were very impressed by its growth. 

Minors & Brady 

Established in 2015, Minors & Brady is an independent estate and letting agent employing 63 people across five branches in Norwich, Dereham, Wroxham, Caister-on-Sea and Lowestoft. 

The judges said the business showed “excellent” financials, results and innovation within the sector, as well as a strong leadership team that is committed to recruiting the right people and supporting staff’s professional development. 

The Goat Shed Farm Shop & Kitchen 

The Goat Shed in Honingham, near Norwich, began life as a shed in March 2020. It has since grown into a large farm shop and kitchen operating seven days a week with a team of 28 employees. 

As a business born out of the pandemic, The Goat Shed impressed the judges with its great results while also supporting the community and aiming for expansion.