On Thursday May 17th the tenth annual The Greats Awards were hosted by organiser Max Publishing at the Lancaster London Hotel. The awards are designed to celebrate the leading independent and multiple gift retailers across the UK, including garden centres, supermarkets and exceptional retail employees.
This year’s event had a Circus theme and was attended by many of the great and good of the industry. The winners are as follows:
Gift Retailer of the Year 2012: Temptation Gifts, which also won the category for Best Online Gift Retailer, including Mail Order
Honourary Achievement Award: Oliver Tress, founder of Oliver Bonas
Retail Employee of the Year: Judy Stock, sales assistant at Blue Dog in Clare, Suffolk
Independent Gift Retailer London: The Inside Man, Wandsworth
Independent Gift Retailer Home Counties, South and South East: Cocoa Bean, Windsor
Independent Gift Retailer Midlands and East Anglia: The Bottle Kiln, West Hallam
Independent Gift Retailer South West & Wales: Cane & Able, Cwmbran
Independent Gift Retailer North and North East: Jam, Wakefield
Independent Gift Retailer Scotland: About Living, Glasgow
Best Gift Retailer Newcomer South and Wales: La De Da! Cheltenham
Best Gift Retailer Newcomer North and Scotland: Celebrations, Stourbridge
Best Specialist Multiple Gift Retailer (4 or more shops): Between The Lines
Best Department Store Retailer of Gifts: Rooms of Coventry
Best Non Specialist Retailer of Gifts: Paperchase
Best Gifts Lifestyle and Homewares (interiors): Orange Tree, Darts Farm
Best Gift Retailer of Jewellery: Melbury Gallery, Sherbourne
Best Garden Centre Retailer of Gifts: Mains of Drum, Banchory
Best Museum/Visitor Attraction Gift Shop: Aston Pottery, Oxfordshire
Best Retail Display: Dulwich Trader, Dulwich
Best Retailer Initiative: Wonder Stuff – Personalised Shopping
Best Service to the Independent Retailer: Joe Davies won Gold, Widdop Bingham won Silver, Yankee Candle won Bronze
