After a nail-biting few months, the winners of The Greats Awards 2021 were ‘crowned’ this afternoon (September 23) at a fabulous Awards event organised by Progressive Gifts & Home and GiftsandHome.net.
Guests included the cream of gift retail – leading gift suppliers, trade show organisers and gift industry reps and agents – with the Awards compered by top stand-up comedian Stuart Goldsmith.
In her welcome speech, Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home and GiftsandHome.net, said: “Currently, with the UK hopefully through the worst of the pandemic, it’s finally a time to look forward, and I would like to praise the resilience, the resourcefulness and the lateral thinking of all our finalists, and our industry in general,in what has been a rollercoaster time for everyone.”
She continued: “Your success comes from having your finger on the pulse of what your customers want, and in being able to diversify quickly as the pandemic has demonstrated.”
The ceremony culminated with the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award, which was awarded posthumously to Robert (Bob) Illingworth, the former chairman of Widdop & Co, in recognition of the huge contribution he made to the giftware industry. It was accepted by his grandson Stephen Illingworth, Widdop & Co’s creative director.
The full list of winners of The Greats Awards 2021 are:
Retail Employee of the Year 2021
Kirsty Hammond, manager, No.14 Ampthill, Ampthill
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – Midlands and Wales
Mooch Gifts & Home, Bewdley and Stourport-on-Severn
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – Scotland
Original Artists, Gourock
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – North and Northern Ireland
Robert & Ruby, Helmsley
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – South West
Highworth Emporium, Highworth
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – East Anglia
Lovely Libby’s and Olive Branch, Billericay, Brentwood and Rayleigh
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – London (inside M25)
Jumping Bean, Beckenham and Honor Oak
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – Home Counties, South and South East
Lulu Loves Home, Stubbington
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – Best Newcomer Midlands, North and Scotland
Keepsakes Scotland, Inverness, Loch Lomond and Pitlochry
Independent Gift Retailer of the Year – Best Newcomer South & Wales
The Bean Hive, Kettering and The Bean Hive By The Sea, Falmouth
Best Specialist Multiple Gift Retailer
Lark
Best Department Store Retailer of Gifts
Roys of Wroxham
Best Non-Specialist Retailer of Gifts
Oliver Bonas
Best Lifestyle Or Homewares Retailer Of Gifts
Josie’s Interiors, Bideford
Best Gift Retailer Of Jewellery & Fashion Accessories
MiMi, Hartley Wintney
Best Garden Centre Retailer of Gifts
Yarnton Home and Garden, Yarnton
Best Museum Or Visitor Attraction Gift Shop
Milestones Living History Museum, Basingstoke
Best In-Store Or Window Display
In Heaven At Home, Market Harborough
Best Retailer Initiative
The Celtic Company, Welshpool, for its video appeal to the Welsh government
Best Service To The Independent Retailer Bronze Award Winner 2021
Gisela Graham
Best Service to the Independent Retailer Silver Award Winner 2021
Joe Davies
Best Service to the Independent Retailer Gold Award Winner 2021
Widdop & Co.
Outstanding Achievement Award Winner 2021
Robert (Bob) Illingworth
The Greats Awards 2021 were sponsored by the following companies (in alphabetical order): Allsorted, Art & Heritage, Ashleigh & Burwood; Candlelight; Carte Blanche Greetings (CBG); Gift Republic; GiftsandHome.net; The Giftware Association; Gisela Graham; Harrogate Christmas & Gift; Joe Davies; licensingsource.net; Life Charms; Method UK; Premier Decorations; Products of Change; Progressive Gifts & Home; Progressive Greetings Live Progressive Greetings magazine; Spring Fair and Autumn Fair and Wrendale Designs.
Photos and winners’ reactions will be appearing shortly on GiftsandHome.net.
