Businesses taking flight is what the HBS Hastings City Business Awards are all about and this year's ceremony at the Hawke's Bay Opera House in Hastings certainly reflected that. Last night, an airport-themed cocktail party and prizegiving greeted those attending the ceremony in which the city celebrated its best retailers. The eventwas high-spirited, complete with an arrivals board, flight attendants and even airport security ``sniffer dogs''. The winners themselves were high-flying _ especially Urban Retreat Hastings Ltd which won The Radio Network and Hawke's Bay Today Supreme Award for Business and Geon Excellence in Health and Beauty Award. Owner of the beauty therapist Anna Jepson said she did a bit of jet-setting herself, having recently had her 50th birthday in Paris. ``I'm lucky enough to travel to Europe and I come home with all these ideas to measure ourselves with what they're doing over there,'' Ms Jepson said. In her acceptance speech, she thanked Hawke's Bay and her ``wonderful team''. Despite her frequent-flyer lifestyle, Ms Jepson said she had always been a ``Hastings girl'' and was humble about the win. ``I wasn't expecting it otherwise I would have thought of something more to say,'' she said. The awards were all about putting the city on a global stage _ something party sponsors Unison Fibre know all about, said sales and marketing manager Wayne Baird. ``The theme's based around the businesses going on a journey around the world,'' Mr Baird said. ``The awards give them a time to celebrate their success and meet other people.'' The idea tied in well with Unison Fibre's sponsorship, as the company is installing high-speed broadband cable around the area to make access to the world easier.
