The owner of a gin company crowned the Best Business in the East of England would like to raise a toast to those living in the Royston area.

Stephen Marsh won the coveted East of England Business Champions award, as well as the Best New Business gong for his Barley-based business Ginmeister Ltd, which makes Pinkster, a premium gin produced with fresh raspberries.

He said: “We were delighted to win Best New Business but nearly fell of our chairs when we called up to the stage to collect the award for overall winner. It is a real feather in our cap. Importantly it vindicates our decision to take risks by creating a gin that stands out from the pack and developing a quirky brand.

“Plus, it shows that quitting my full-time finance director job wasn’t such a reckless move, after all.

“We look forward to staffing up as the business expands further. Special thanks to everyone in Royston and the surrounding area.”