Tamworth Quality Business Awards cancelled due to health, fairness concerns

The annual black-tie event, usually held in August, has been canceled this year.

Tamworth Business Chamber considered holding an online version of the awards, but ultimately decided to cancel altogether for fairness and safety reasons.

With much of Tamworth's business community forced to shutdown by coronavirus, the chamber couldn't judge a level playing field, according to Business Chamber President Jye Segboer.

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"Business NSW already made their decision to cancel the regional and state awards several months ago," he said.

"The Tamworth Business Chamber held off making that decision as we investigated the possibility of an E-Awards and other opportunities but ultimately there was no suitable opportunity for a fair and even judging process."

Chamber Executive Office Sam Rains said there was also a heath and safety concern about getting judges into businesses during COVID-19.

Some regional chambers in NSW will hold business awards in 2020, but they will be based on popular vote. The Tamworth chamber issues both blind-judged awards and one people's choice award.

Mr Rains said it was "devastating" to have to cancel the awards, which he said could have been a distraction from the pandemic and economic recession.

Tamworth's are actually the largest in the state, he said.

"We had over 800 people attend our awards last year and the state awards only attracted 400, so an incredibly impressive effort to attract that but it shows the support of the local business community that everyone has for each other," he said.

"We did look at every possible angle to try and get some form of awards up but it just wasn't possible."

Tamworth business's night of nights will be held next in 2021.

Childcare centre Birrelee MACS will keep its crown as Quality Business Awards people's choice winner for the third year in a row until at least 2021.

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