Congratulations to all of the finalists and winners of the Greats Awards 2016 for Gift Retailers. It's a wonderful thing to be nominated for awards. We hope that you enjoyed the day and would like to thank all of you who stock our cards. We consider ourselves very privileged to be serving such a fine host of loyal retailers.
The Greats Awards 2016 Winners are:
The Honourary Achievement Award went to Andrew Illingworth from Widdop & Co.
Marina McManus, shop manager, Liquorice Tree, Edinburgh Airport is Retail Employee of the Year
Finalists
Lynsey Bolton. department manager, Cliftons, Lytham
Shelly Frost, sales assistant, The Country House Gift Co
Leah Grimes, sales assistant, Hallmark Celebrate, Chigwell
Georgia Perkin, assistant manager, The Inside Man, London
MAP Gift Shop, Archway won Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - London (inside M25):
Finalists
All Good Gifts, Battersea
In Spitalfields, Spitalfields
Rumbles, Ealing
SMUG, Islington
The Indigo Tree, Streatham
MiMi, Hartley Witney won for Home Counties, South and S East
Finalists
One Forty, Cranleigh
Box of Delights, Flitwick
Dragonfly, Cheam
Pussy Home Boutique, Brighton
Something Special, Edenbridge
Hyde + Seek, Exeter won Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - South West
Finalists
Bentleys, Stourpourt on Severn
The Cedars, Bourton on Water
The Country House Gift Co, Winscombe
The Emporium, Devizes
Just Delights, Penryn
Feathering Your Nest, Rayleigh won Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - East Anglia
Finalists
Gifted, Norwich and Cambridge
Horizon Gifts, Hunstanton
Osokozi Gallery, Holt
Quest Gifts, Holt
The Java Store, Norwich
Set Design, Leicester won Independent - Midlands and Wales
Finalists
Hamptons, Penarth
Marmalade Meringue, Hinckley
Narborough Hall, Narborough
Selections, Port Talbort
Skinny Whistle, Quorn
The Bottom Drawer, Portadown won Independent - North and Northern Ireland
Finalists
Libby's Chesterfield
Oklahoma, Manchester
Peppermint Pig, Clekheaton
Saffrons of York and Little Saffrons, York
The Imaginarium, York
Maia Gifts, Glasgow won Independent Gift Retailer of the Year - Scotland
Finalists
Bijou, Elgin
Cloudberry, Edinburgh
Liquorice Tree, Edinburgh and Glasgow
Papyrus, Glasgow
Spirito, Glasgow
We Built This City, London won Best Gift Retailer - Newcomer South and Wales
Finalists
All About Rose, Great Missenden
Bibi's Home, Weymouth
Coast & Country Interiors, Bude
Panache, Yeovil, Taunton and Lyme Regis
The Bump Company, Southampton
Lily Blue Gifts, Hagley won Best Gift Retailer - Newcomer North, Midlands and Scotland
Finalists
Embrace, Strathpeffer
Penny and Black, Lundin Links
Quirky Coo, Dundee
Saffrons of Northallerton
Serendipity House, Kirkham
Love Aroma won Best Specialist Multiple Gift Retailer
Finalists
Between the Lines (12 stores)
Menkind (40+ stores)
Sass & Belle (5 stores)
Time & Tide (6 stores)
Utility (4 stores)
Debenhams, Oxford Street won Best Department Store Retailer of Gifts
Finalists
Barretts of St Neots
Bengalis of Kingston
Fenwick of Brent Cross
John Lewis
Jarrolds, Norwich
Robert & Ruby, Helmsley won Best Non Specialist Retailer of Gifts
Finalists
The Bristol Guild of Applied Arts, Bath
Brodie Countryfare, Brodie by Forres
Paperchase
Potters of Hockley
Zing Furniture, Willington
Time & Tide won Best Gifts Lifestyle and Homewares (interiors)
Finalists
About Living (3 stores)
Oliver Bonas (multiple)
Orange Tree, Topsham
The Old School Beauly, Beauly
Love Thy Interiors, Thirsk
The Herbary, Troon won Best Gift Retailer of Jewellery
Finalists
Celtic Company, Welshpool
Harvey Willis, Glenrothes
Macmillan of Penwortham
Ruby Red, Milngavie
Stacks, Wirral
New Hopetoun Garden Centre, Broxburn won Best Garden Centre Retailer of Gifts
Finalists
Manchester Garden Centre, Durham
Thetford Garden Centre, Thetford
Whitehall Garden Centre, Lacock
Van Hage, Ampel
Redfields Garden Centre, Crookham
Imperial War Museum Gift Shop, London won Best Visitor Attraction Gift Shop
Finalists
Chester Zoo, Islands Gift Shop
Longleat Safari Park, Longleat
Science Museum Gift Shop, London
St Michael's Mount, Marazian
Waddesdon Manor Gift Shop, Aylesbury
Retro36, Scarborough won Best Retail Display
Finalists
The Bottom Drawer, Portadown
Gardenarium, East Molesley
MAP Gift Shop, London
Olive Tree, Wolverhampton
Orange Tree, Topsham
Gifts from Handpicked won Best Online Gift Retailer, to include Mail Order
Finalists
Firebox
Handpicked Gifts
JD Williams
Love Aroma
The Inside Man
Spirito, Glasgow won Best Retailer Initiative for its jewellery initiative.
Finalists:
Loch Levens Larder, Loch Leven - For its SBS Campaign
Cantons, Port Erin - for its SBS campaign
Narborough Hall, Narborough - For its Pay it Forward Day
Oliver Bonas for its Innocent Big Knit for Age UK initiative
The Old School Beauly for its Mrs Old School blog
Winners of Best Service to the Independent Retailer
Widdop & Co won Gold
Joe Davis won Silver
Ashleigh & Burwood won Bronze
Finalists 2015 (in alphabetical order)
Enesco
Expressions 4 U
Gisela Graham
Lesser & Pavey
Really Good
RJB Stone
Yankee Candle
Now in their fourteenth year, The Greats Awards have become the accolades to strive for and the Awards event itself has become one of the most exciting and vibrant in the country. It brings together the entire British gift industry for a day of celebration.
The Greats Awards are owned and organised by Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide (published by Max Publishing). They recognise and celebrate not only the top independent and multiple gift retailers regionally and nationally, but also one-off niche retailers, garden centres and supermarkets as well as outstanding retail employees.
The Greats Awards ceremony for 2016 was held on Thursday 5th May at The Savoy in London celebrating their 14th anniversary of The Greats with a special themed event which included and cocktail reception, lunch, awards and entertainment.
All gift retailers who have been named as a Greats winner or finalist over the past 10 years of the Greats are invited to attend a special Greats Party at PG Live next month on Tuesday May 11th at 3pm at the Business Design Centre in Islington. Contact Ian Hyder through the PG Live website for details www.progressivegreetingslive.com
See previous winners of the Greats Awards
Visit the Greats Awards Website
Click here to request more information on Blue Eyed Sun
