HUNDREDS of businessmen and women packed Salisbury Cathedral for this year’s South Wilts Business of the Year Awards on Thursday.

This was the first time any event of this kind had been held in the world famous cathedral. It was given the go-ahead to coincide with the cathedral’s celebrations to mark the 800th sealing of the Magna Carta, a copy of which rests in the Chapter House.

Rock band Texas started the party going by performing three numbers in what lead singer Sharleen Spiteri described as a “warm up for Glastonbury”.

Dean of the cathedral, the Very Reverend June Osborne, welcomed the awards congregation, telling them that in case there was anyone visiting the cathedral for the first time they were most welcome to return.

The awards, which this year attracted more than 800 entries, had Mercedes-Benz as the leading sponsor. The Salisbury Journal was media sponsor and a host of other businesses supported individual awards.

Bill Browne, publisher of the Journal, who presented the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, said: “This event was brilliantly conceived and delivered on behalf of the many businesses in Salisbury. There are too many people to mention, but there has to be particular praise for Spire FM’s Ceri Hurford-Jones and Karen Bosley, who did a marvellous job both on the night as presenters and in the organising.”