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Peter scoops top prize in BIA awards ceremony

Hundreds of guests saw Peter Knowles, chairman of Peters Cathedral Bakers collect the Baker of the Year award, sponsored by Vandemoortele, at British Baker's annual Baking Industry Awards this week.

The triumph comes as Peters moves into it newly rebuilt premises, after a fire destroyed its plant in Durham City last year.

Despite the fact it has been operating from temporary premises, the business has thrived, with new product development continuing. Speaking on the Awards night at London's 5 Star Grosvenor House hotel, retail sales and business development manager Alan Dixon commented: "What a culmination to the year after what the business has been through. It's a platform we will build on. We are hoping we will have a fantastic 12 months."

This week's 18th Awards cermony, hosted by sports commentator John Inverdale, also saw speciality bakery La Fornaia named Bakery Food Manufacturer of the year, sponsored by ADM Milling. A delighted Ken Glennon, commercial and sales director, told Bristish Baker: "It's fantastic. We have won this award twice now and, as far as i know, no-one has ever done that. And we are having a great year as a company, eight new products lauched this week, which means we have launched 51 new lines in the last 12 months."