The Melrose Directory announced as a finalist in Biztech's BrightSparc awards

The family-run firm, which created a value for money website directly connecting holidaymakers with property owners, made the shortlist of Best New B2C Technology Innovation and Best Technology Collaboration for its work with AD Media Relations and westfourstreet.

The news comes just weeks after The Melrose Directory relaunched its website – transforming it into an innovative and user-friendly site which is compelling in design functionality for the customer, with a combination of off-the-shelf products and bespoke development.

Shirley and Stewart Elsmore, founders of The Melrose Directory said: “We are thrilled to be finalists in Biztech’s BrightSparc Awards, which showcases the very best of technology across the SEMLEP and MK area.

“It has been a very exciting year for us as we’ve developed The Melrose Directory website to provide a modern, appropriate and reliable technical functionality and design. This has allowed the uniqueness of the business to shine through, thus differentiating it from the top 5 corporate competitors.”

In a bid to use technology to its full advantage, The Melrose Directory, worked alongside web designers westfourstreet to create its new website and with marketing agency AD Media Relations to communicate the brand’s message.

Shirley added: “It is truly a collaborative approach with all partners having free-reign to put forward their ideas, taking the best of all our knowledge and packaging it in a way that creates a personalised service to both owners and holidaymakers.

“Using our instincts, we have jointly implemented a successful formula which not only makes The Melrose Directory service to our customers completely differentiated in the market place, but the sound relationships that have formed ensure that all 3 parties benefit from each other’s respective skills, and being a finalist is testament to that collaborative team approach.

“We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved since our launch last year.”

Biztech Judges including Mayor of Milton Keynes Councillor David Hopkins, the MK Council leader Councillor Peter Marland, Jan Flawn of PJ Care, Nick Lancaster of the University of Bedfordshire and Silvia Vitiello from Kingston Smith, chose the winner who will be announced at the awards ceremony on November 24.

Alison Devlin, director of AD Media Relations, said: “To be recognised by such a high calibre of judges for our work with a groundbreaking company like The Melrose Directory is fantastic.

“We are very proud to have been involved in this collaboration with two businesses which like us thrive on delivering creativity and individuality to benefit their customers."

Richard Bateman, creative director of westfourstreet, said: "From the very start of the project there was very organic understanding between ourselves, The Melrose Directory and AD Media Relations. This organic understanding translated into the creative collaboration which in turn made the project a lot of fun to work on.

"We share with AD Media Relations the same philosophy - where understanding the target audience as well as the short term and long term goals of the client are key areas of the creative process.

"Naturally we’re delighted to be finalists, but more so over the moon for the guys at The Melrose Directory who work tirelessly to deliver a customer experience and platform to their users, which unquestionably would be a fantastic benchmark for any company or organisation.”

Finalists for Best technology collaboration in MK or SEMLEP area:

The Melrose Directory

Telematics Pro

Visual Realms

HDK Solutions Ltd

Best new B2C technology innovation in Milton Keynes and SEMLEP region:

The Melrose Directory

Visual Realms

The winners will be announced at the BrightSparc Awards on November 24 12-2pm, at Espark Hub, Central Milton Keynes. Tickets can be purchased, here.