The strength of businesses across the UK in the small quoted companies sector has been recognised at the PLC Awards 2012.

Fuller Smith and Turner was crowned Company of the Year. The London-based brewer has built up a reputation for running great pubs and brewing outstanding beers, including London Pride, ESB and 1845. Ray Kelvin of Ted Baker won the highly-prized Entrepreneur of the year award, while Enterprise Inns, based in the West Midlands received the Best Performing Share accolade.

More than 1,000 guests, including quoted companies, investment banks, fund managers, investment analysts, and corporate advisers, attended the awards, which took place in London last night.

This year’s shortlist saw 18 businesses based outside London vying for accolades in the voting categories of the PLC Awards, sponsored by PwC, and produced jointly with Ford Sinclair Ltd.

The companies shortlisted for the awards, established 27 years ago to celebrate the best in the mid-market business sector and to underline its importance to the UK economy, were selected from high quality entries spanning the entire UK.

David Snell, partner, PwC commented:

“Businesses in the mid-market are a key cog in the engine driving the British economy. These companies remain an integral part of the UK’s drive towards a complete financial recovery. These awards showcase the very best of the mid-market. Both the winners and those nominated stood out from record number o companies nominated by the UK business community.”

The full list of winners is below

Fund Manager of the Year -Dunedin Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc

Best Performing Share- Enterprise Inns plc