Laurence Bell, who will receive the Pioneer Award at the inaugural AIM Independent Music Awards on November 10, said that the financial "rough and tumble" that comes with staying independent was "all part of the fun".

The label is currently flying high on the success of Arctic Monkeys' well-received 2011 LP Suck It And See, while this week sees the release of its hotly-tipped Real Estate album, Days.

"I think we'd lose a lot of our charm if we were ...