AN AWARD for sustained excellence has been presented to the managing director of York-based Pavers Shoes.

Stuart Paver who heads the family-owned footwear business won the accolade at EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 UK final in London last night, Thursday.

Pavers has more than 235 stores across the globe, all managed from the head office in York.

Founded in 1971 by Catherine Paver, who took out a £200 bank loan to start her business, the company has established itself as one of the UK’s leading comfort shoe retailers.

Judges commended Stuart Paver for taking “his family business from a single shop to 235 highly profitable stores across many continents”.

They also recognised the company’s “great societal impact” under Stuart’s guidance, after he set up the largest NGO provider of orthopaedic footwear to those suffering from leprosy in South Asia. Victoria Price, who is a partner and EY Entrepreneur Of The Year leader in the North, said: “Pavers Shoes is the perfect example of the incredible entrepreneurial community we have here in the North."

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year has been running for 20 years.