Forecourt Trader of the Year winners Mohsin and Zuber Issa have been named entrepreneurs of the year at the first English Asian Business Awards.

The founders of Top 50 Indie Euro Garages picked up their award at the Midland Hotel in Manchester in a ceremony that recognised the outstanding business achievements in England’s Asian communities.

Blackburn-based Euro Garages, which was launched in 2001, now operates 70 petrol stations with convenience stores and food franchises, and employs around 1,000 members of staff.

Among the Issa brothers’ achievements are a successful partnership with US coffee giant Starbucks. In January Starbucks announced plans to open 200 roadside outlets in the next five years – 100 of which would be operated by Euro Garages.

In August last year Euro Garages secured a £110m funding agreement to step up its site acquisition programme.