Richard Corbett wins Newmarket Business of the Year

Richard Corbett, proprietor and chief photographer for Fairway Photography, was chosen as the overall winner at the Newmarket Business Association Business Awards for 2004. At a presentation dinner on Friday 19th November at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse, Richard picked up the prize for ‘Innovative use of Technology’ and at the end of the night, the final and most prestigious award of the evening – The Judges Award.

Accompanied by his wife Katie, who he thanked for her unfailing support as ‘creative advisor, marketing advisor, sales guru and financial brain’, Richard accepted the Judges Award from Suffolk County Council dignitaries in front of a collective from Newmarket’s thriving and diverse business community.

“Throughout the course of the judging day the panel kept coming back to one outstanding entry,” said Kevin Hancock, Chairman of the NBA. “The Judges were impressed by the quality of the product, its delivery, the planning within the business and the innovative use of a range of media to satisfy the needs of its customers.” Judges included representatives from Business Link Suffolk, Suffolk County Council, Forest Heath District Council.

“Golf has been an important element of my photography mix since the start and has contributed significantly to the business – Fairway Photography will continue to be a crucial and enjoyable part of the business.” The judges from Business Link Suffolk decided that Richard’s business had not only embraced technology but had used it to successfully differentiate itself in its market. The judges were impressed by the innovative use of web technology for customer access and delivery of products. “I use the technology to good effect – selling prints after the event from the web and driving the website as the primary source of interest in my work,” remarked Richard, “but of course I believe it to be absolutely crucial to develop a strong reputation locally - I really hope and think that this award should help me with that.”

Richard specialises in golf photography, with Fairway Photography, but also has strong commercial and social photography businesses. This fusion of different disciplines has brought a fresh new view to all those markets. “I just do things a little differently – a bit of a sideways look at the world I suppose. It’s great fun and I love it”.