UK’s independent food retailers crowned at Shop of the Year 2019
After an extensive countrywide search and judging process, the UK’s top independent food retailers have been crowned as the Shop of the Year 2019 concluded last night.
In total, seven trophies were presented at a ceremony held at Harrogate farm shop Fodder where fellow Yorkshire retailer Farmer Copleys took the title of Best Farm Shop and Aubrey Allen in Leamington Spa won the Delicatessen & Grocer competition.
The House of Bruar in Perthshire claimed the Food Hall award while Sheridans Cheesemongers in Dublin was named best Specialist Cheese Shop.
Gateshead retailer Block & Bottle’s combination of butchery and craft beer secured the trophy in the Specialist Food or Drink Shop category, while Suffolk cheese shop Slate won the Best Newcomer award, which was sponsored by Fine Food Digest.
The Hammersmith branch of Eat 17 took the evening’s final award in the Innovation category.
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(L-R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Sarah Russell of Aubrey Allen and Guy Tullberg, The Tracklement CompanyShop of the Year 2019 - (L-R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Helen Daysh from Le Gruyère AOP and Shop of the Year judge, Patrick McGuiganShop of the Year 2019
- (L-R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Clare Jackson of Slate and Michael Lane, Fine Food DigestShop of the Year 2019
- (L-R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Katie Cullen and Steven Warren from Block & Bottle and Helen Daysh from Le Gruyère AOPShop of the Year 2019
- (L-R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Laura Killeen, marketing manager at Sheridans Cheesemongers and Helen Daysh from Le Gruyère AOPShop of the Year 2019
- (L-R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Shop of the Year judge, Edward Berry and Helen Daysh from Le Gruyère AOPShop of the Year 2019
- (L-R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Robert Copley of Farmer Copleys, Adam Tynan from Peter’s Yard and Heather Copley of Farmer CopleysShop of the Year 2019
All of the 45 finalists in this year’s competition had to pass through a rigorous process that included two rounds of judging – one was an announced visit from the Guild’s expert judging panel, the other was a mystery shop by customer experience specialists, Insight6.
This year’s judges included Edward Berry of The Flying Fork, former Fortnum & Mason MD Stuart Gates, award-winning retailer Tracey Colley and food writer Patrick McGuigan.
Retailers were all rated and scored and detailed notes on every aspect of the shops – from overall shopping experience and financial performance to staff training and sustainability – were studied by the panel before agreeing on overall category winners.
Shop of the Year 2020 is now open for entry at gff.co.uk/awards/shop-of-the-year, with independent retailers across the UK invited to send a written submission for the following categories: Delicatessen & Grocer; Specialist Cheese Shop; Farm Shop (farmer owned); Food Hall; Specialist Food or Drink Shop.
Shop of the Year 2019 winners and runners up
Delicatessen & Grocer sponsored by The Tracklement Company
Aubrey Allen, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Runners up:
The Mainstreet Trading Company, Roxburghshire, Scotland
Eat 17, Hammersmith, London
Farm Shop (farmer owned) sponsored by Peter’s Yard
Farmer Copleys, Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Runners up:
Blacker Hall Farm Shop, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Ardross Farm Shop, Elie, Scotland
Food Hall sponsored by Le Gruyere AOP
The House of Bruar, Perthshire, Scotland
Runner up:
Macknade Fine Foods, Faversham, Kent
Specialist Cheese Shopsponsored by Le Gruyere AOP
Sheridans Cheesemongers, Dublin, Ireland
Runner up:
George & Joseph Cheesemongers, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Specialist Food or Drink Shop sponsored by Le Gruyere AOP
Block & Bottle, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear
Runners up:
The Hungry Guest, Petworth, West Sussex
The Seasons Forest Row, Forest Row, East Sussex
Special Shop of the Year Awards
Newcomer Award sponsored by Fine Food Digest
Slate, Southwold, Suffolk
Innovation Award sponsored by Le Gruyere AOP
Eat 17, Hammersmith, London
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