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The Greats Awards Are Open For Entry
Industry
NEWS
The Closing Date Is 31 January, 2022 The Greats gift retailer awards 2022 - now in their 20th milestone year - are open, setting out to recognise and reward the UK’s outstanding gift shops and gift departments. With a closing date of 31 January 2022, an entry form has been enclosed with this issue. Significantly, uniting the gift industry, The Greats awards have joined forces with The Giftware Association’s Gift of the Year (GOTY) awards, with all winners - both The Greats and the GOTY - revealed at a fabulous black tie awards event, to be held at the glamorous Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Thursday 12 May. (See pages 20-21).
“Winning a Greats gift retailer award has long been the pinnacle for gift retailers both large and small - a prestigious, coveted retail trophy that recognises excellence, initiative, innovation and professionalism at the highest level. Having the winners announced at an event that will also reward product excellence in the GOTY awards makes it doubly exciting for The Greats 2022,” says Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home/GiftsandHome.net which organises The Greats awards. As Sue explains, the search is on: “We’re on the lookout for those extra special gift retailers, gift departments, lifestyle stores, garden centres and visitor attractions that, despite a challenging, changing retail climate, are nevertheless managing to stay at the top of their game. The
Greats are a fantastic opportunity for gift retailers right across the board - from the tiniest village shop to the largest multiple - to bang the drum about their achievements over the past year. We know that there are some incredible retailers out there, and we want to hear from them!” The line-up of Greats sponsors is already building, including some leading brands (in alphabetical order): Gift Republic; GiftsandHome.net; Gisela Graham; Harrogate Christmas & Gift; Joe Davies; Progressive Gifts & Home; Progressive Greetings Live, with lots more in the pipeline. A downloadable entry form is available from www.thegreatsawards.co.uk or www.thegiftawards.com. Entries can also be emailed direct to suem@max-publishing.co.uk. To find out more about sponsorship opportunities for The Greats and The Gift Of The Year Awards, contact Ali Farrell (e: alisonf@maxpublishing.co.uk; mob: 07872 113635); Ian Hyder (e: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk mob: 07525 634 306); Rob Willis (robw@maxpublishing.co.uk mob: 07792 016832); Warren Lomax (e: warren@max-publishing.co.uk; mob: 07977 572086). Visit www.thegreatsawards.co.uk or www.thegiftawards.com Tickets to the awards can be booked quickly and securely by visiting www.maxsubscriptions.net/tickets/or by contacting awards organiser Clare Hollick at clare@createvents.co.uk (tel: 01183 340085). Tickets cost £208 (+VAT) and tables of 10 and 12 are available. Visit www.thegreatsawards.co.uk or www.thegiftawards.com The Greats Gift Retailer Awards are owned and organised by Max Publishing and Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide.
Spirito Named ‘Best Gift Shop In Scotland’ The return of Scotland’s Business Awards recently saw gift shop Spirito in Glasgow take home the prestigious Best Gift Shop in Scotland Award, with owner Denise Laird telling PG&H: “We were absolutely delighted to win!” The rescheduled 2020 grand final, which took place at the Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow, was the largest ever awards night presented by Scotland’s Business Awards, with some 700 finalists and their guests from all over Scotland attending. Above: Members of the Spirito team are show at Scotland’s Business awards. From left to right, they are: Abby Fraser, Katie O’Grady, Rachel Rodgers, Denise Laird and store manager Ruby Eleftheriotis.
Mooch Acquired By Cardzone
Online operator Moonpig’s half year results for six months, to the end of October 2021, were announced on December 9, revealing a small 10.2% dip. With the end of lockdown in June, the results reflected a return to the high street. Interestingly, the online retailer’s strongest growth has come from gifting, which currently accounts for almost half (48%) of Moonpig’s sales. As well as the company’s partnership with Virgin Wines, gift items have expanded to include fragrances, improvements in letterbox gifting, and the expansion of Moonpig’s branded toy offering. “With revenue more than doubling over the past two years, we are confident that we have achieved an enduring transformation in the scale of our business,” stated Moonpig’s ceo Nickyl Raithatha. “The longterm opportunity remains vast, and we have never been in a better position to capture this growth.”
In the space of four years, Rachel and Paul Roberts opened five Mooch gift stores - two in Northampton, a third in Olney, a fourth in Towcester and a fifth in Rushden Lakes. However, the couple recently sold all five award winning stores to Cardzone in a deal that was signed and sealed in mid November. Rachel and Paul are working with the Cardzone team until the new year to ensure a smooth integration, and will then fulfil their dream of spending time by the sea. “We’re thrilled to welcome the Mooch brand to our group portfolio,” commented James Taylor, director of Cardzone. “Paul and Rachel have built an excellent business in a very short space of time and we’re keen to learn what makes Mooch so popular with its customers before looking at expansion across different parts of the UK. We love the brand name too!” The acquisition takes the Cardzone group up to 191 stores and boosts its profile on the gifting front.
Above: Gifting now accounts for almost half of Moonpig’s sales.
Above: Mooch at Rushden Lakes, Northamptonshire.
Above left: The Greats and GOTY winners will be announced at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel in May.
Gifts Strengthen Moonpig’s Offer
FOR THE LATEST NEWS VISIT PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE
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