IT will be a Champagne celebration for the winner of the E Business Award at Open 4 Business this year – Champagne Film, that is.

The Weymouth-based company is sponsoring the honour in this year’s portfolio of titles to be unveiled in October.

Champagne owner Rob Goodwin has become a stalwart of Open 4 Business in recent years.

His company has filmed such events as the festival launch, awards night and clips of the finalists to be shown at the ceremony.

Mr Goodwin said: “Champagne Film predicts another great year for everyone involved in Open 4 Business.

“Being a sponsor, and producing all the video material for the third year in a row is fantastic.

“But Open 4 Business is really about celebrating business achievement, meeting up with innovative people and having lots of fun at the events.”

Open 4 Business is spread over five months this year before reaching its finale in October.

The event covers the Dorset coast from Purbeck to Lyme, as well as its heartland of Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester.

Activities have already begun with fully-booked Business Link workshops in Bridport and Lulworth.

There has also been a packed business breakfast at the Rendezvous in Weymouth.

Some 78 business people attended the Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce and Lloyds TSB business breakfast.

More events are planned during the summer and autumn.

The main festival events in October has been extended from two weeks to three this year.

This year’s festival has the theme of ‘world-class business’ to encourage firms to prepare for the 2012 Olympics and opportunities.

Open 4 Business chairman Gareth Jones, of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, is working with Robert Moore from West Dorset District Council, Helen Heanes from Dorset County Council, Richard Wilson from Purbeck District Council and main sponsor Weymouth College.

The steering group is supported by Business Link, which will be co-ordinating events, with marketing company Popcorn Marketing, Cocoa Media and film-makers Champagne Film Productions. The Dorset Echo is the media partner and a sponsor.

The deadline for awards entries is September 10 but firms are urged to get their entries in early.

Go to the website at o4business.co.uk for more information about upcoming events and to enter.

The top ten awards

There are 10 awards up for grabs this year, in categories, including customer service and learning in the workplace.

But there is also the prestigious Business of the Year title, sponsored by headline sponsor Weymouth College and the Flame Award for outstanding contribution or achievement.

The awards and their sponsors are:

New Business: Sponsored by Enterprise Connection.

Jurassic Coast Business: Getaway Digital.

South & West Dorset Business: Dorset Echo.

Export Company: Aquarium Technology Ltd (Business of Year 2009).

Customer Service: Blondz.

eBusiness: Champagne Film.

Technology & Innovation: DJ Property.

Learning in the Workplace: Stag Office Products.

Business of the Year 2010: Weymouth College.

Flame Award: not a sponsored category.