TWO York-based businesses are in contention for prestigious national awards.

The Bar Convent Trust and Hunter's Estate Agents are finalists in The National Business Awards North East Regional Competition.

The awards, sponsored by Orange, are part of a national competition to reward innovation, excellence and best practice.

The Bar Convent Trust and Bar Convent Enterprises was short listed for the Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Microsoft Business Solutions.

Hunter's, the York-based estate agents, was short-listed in three categories: regional employer of the year, regional growth strategy of the year, and national training and development of the year.

Updated: 09:29 Tuesday, June 03, 2003