BUSINESSES shortlisted for this year’s Small Business of the Year in the Winchester Business Excellence Awards have been announced.

The final four Winchester businesses for the Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by 1-1 Recruitment, are tour operator The Natural Travel Collection, trailer sales company Trailertek Ltd, dental care providers Brush-Baby Ltd and modern architect AR Design Studio.

Director of 1-1, Helen Floor, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the Small Business of the Year Award. It is a great opportunity to bring together local companies who deserve recognition and the huge response we have had highlights what a great place Winchester is to do business.”

The Natural Travel Collection is an award-winning international tour operator that has been in business for more than 20 years, specialising in tailor-made holidays through two travel brands – Wildlife Worldwide and Dive Worldwide.

Its solid business plan meant its 2013 annual booking revenue increased by 25 per cent to £5.3m and the company anticipates a ten per cent increase for the first quarter of 2014 to that of the same period last year.

The one-stop shop for all things trailer, Trailertek Ltd, provides servicing and spare parts and also stocks parts for boats, cars, motorcycles and horse-boxes, among other things.

The company was set up by Winchester entrepreneur Karl Edan and has grown 20 per cent year on year since it was founded in 2000. It now claims to have the largest trailer spares website in Europe.

Brush-Baby specialises in providing dental care products for newborns and toddlers and has been presented with a number of awards including the Dental Hygiene and Therapy and an award from Private Dentistry for Best Child Dental Health. The company aims to educate childcare professionals to promote the importance of dental care and decay prevention in developing teeth.

Contemporary architect firm AR Design Studio was set up in 2001 and is based in Winchester and Bournemouth. Its studio and projects have featured in the national media, but also in numerous publications and blogs around the world.

Last October director Andy Ramus was voted chairman of RIBA Hampshire and its ethos means it has a continued commitment to ensure efficient communication with its clients as well as good service.