Blakemore Wholesale recognised its top retailers at their third annual Retailer of the Year Grand Awards Evening and Charity Gala Dinner.
The glittering black tie event, held at St George’s Park, Burton on 5th October recognised exceptional retailers who go the extra mile to deliver excellent service and store standards.
The awards, now in their eighth year, recognise 12 regional winners and 5 category awards including Best Work in the Community, Best Promotional Execution, Best Own Brand Compliance, Best Core Range and Best Fresh Foods Retailer in addition to Best New Store and the Overall Retailer of the Year.
Stores were judged across a wide range of criteria including internal and external standards, customer relationships, product range, merchandising and local community involvement.
Taking the prestigious title of Blakemore Wholesale Retailer of the Year 2017 was the first Bmorelocal… store to open in North Wales, Penrhyn Bay in Llandudno.
Judges commended the store for excelling in every aspect of retailing, highlighting excellent standards and service including internal and external imagery, customer relationships that are second to none, an extensive product range, up to date merchandising and significant local community involvement.
In addition to maintaining the highest standards, this retailer also plays an important role in the community in which the family has operated for a number of years.
Having been through some tough times over the past 18 months, with building issues and a large national competitor opening up nearby, the retailers banded together with the local community to help and support the build which resulted in a wonderful opening day with hundreds in attendance.
Bmorelocal… Penrhyn Bay walks away with a prize fund of £11,000 plus a charitable donation of £700.
Winning store retailers Roland Edwards and Beverley Williams commented:
“We are truly humbled to have received the Blakemore Wholesale Retailer of the Year award for 2017!
“We have been overwhelmed by the support of the local community as well as the fantastic ongoing assistance of the staff at Blakemore Wholesale.
“Investing in the new premium Bmorelocal… fascia and doubling the store’s size has transformed us into a destination store. We have received lots of positive feedback from customers and the improved range and offering has increased footfall and basket spend.
“A big thank you to the Blakemore Wholesale team who have supported us from design to completion and whose input has been invaluable in relaunching the store. Winning this award has blown us away and really spurred us on to keep achieving.
“We now plan to continue improving the store with the support of the Blakemore Wholesale team and we both look forward to a long and exciting future with Bmorelocal….”
Blakemore Wholesale Sales Director Nick Rose commented:
“What another fantastic evening celebrating independent local stores at our Retailer of the Year Awards.
“The continued commitment of our retailers to maintaining the high standards of our Retail Club has been nothing short of impressive.
“All of our winners this year have demonstrated exceptional dedication to delivering excellent customer service and store standards.
“The awards demonstrate how suppliers, wholesalers and retailers can work together to showcase the best of what Independent local stores have to offer.”
The Retailer of the Year main event sponsors included Heineken, PepsiCo, Coca Cola, KP Snacks, Imperial Tobacco and Molson Coors.
In addition to the awards ceremony, guests enjoyed a three course dinner and entertainment from comedian and television presenter Russell Kane. A charity raffle raised £2,700 with all proceeds being donated to local charities via the Blakemore Foundation.
Regional Retailer of the Year Award Winners:
Bangor – Bmorelocal… Penrhyn Bay
Barnsley – Toll Bar Post Office
Cardiff – Clabby’s – The Top Shop
Gateshead – Uncle Sam’s Convenience
Grimsby – Bmorelocal… BK Stores
Killingworth – Bmorelocal… Annitsford Convenience Store
Middlesbrough – Belle Vue Convenience
Newport – My Local Convenience Store
Saltley – Flaxley Convenience Store
Swansea – Bmorelocal… Grocer’s Pride
Walsall – Midway Convenience
Wolverhampton – Lanesfield Convenience
Category Award Winners:
Best Work in the Community- Belle Vue Convenience
Best Own Brand Compliance- Uncle Sam’s Convenience
Best Promotional Execution- Clabby’s – The Top Shop
Best Core Range Compliance- Bmorelocal… BK Stores
Best Fresh Foods Retailer- Midway Convenience
Best New Store 2017– Lanesfield Convenience
Retailer of the Year 2017– Bmorelocal… Penrhyn Bay
About A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd:
A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd was founded in 1917 and is a family-owned food & drink retail, wholesale and distribution business, based at Longacres Industrial Estate in Willenhall, West Midlands.
Peter Blakemore is the third generation of the Blakemore family to lead the company, which currently employs more than 8,200 people and has a turnover circa £1.3 billion.
A.F. Blakemore consists of nine separate divisions:
- Retail, which operates 291 retail SPAR stores
- Trade Partners, which serves 763 independently owned SPAR stores
- Logistics, which distributes to 1,054 SPAR stores in addition to supporting the wider AFB Group
- Wholesale, which operates 13 cash & carry and delivered depots nationwide
- Wholesale Distribution, a national and international distribution service
- Foodservice, which delivers multi-temperature orders to catering outlets nationwide
- Fresh Foods, a fresh meat wholesaler, distributor and importer
- Design & Shopfitting, which is A.F. Blakemore’s own shop fitting division
- Fine Foods, a purveyor of speciality and fine food products
For more information please contact A.F. Blakemore Graduate Communications Officer Natalie Watkins on 0121 568 2908/ nwatkins@afblakemore.com
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