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Calling All Gift Retailers The Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2024 Are Open The Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2024 - now celebrating their fabulous 22nd year – are open, once again setting out to recognise and reward the UK’s outstanding gift shops and gift departments. The closing date for entries is 20 February, 2024. “Winning a Greats Gift Retailer award has become 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,” says Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home/GiftsandHome.net which organises and owns The Greats. Continues Sue: “Therefore we’re on the lookout for the ‘greatest of the great’, those extra special gift and lifestyle retailers, department stores and garden centres that, despite the challenges over the past year – higher energy bills, petrol, increased mortgages and rents all reducing disposable income - are nevertheless Above: Greats 2024 trophy.
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!” Uniting the gift industry, The Greats gift retailer awards winners, along with The Giftware Association’s Gift of the Year (GOTY) awards winners, will be revealed at The Gift Awards, a fabulous black tie awards event, to be held at the glamorous Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Thursday 16 May. Visit www.thegreatsawards.co.uk; www.thegiftawards.com to download an entry form. Alternatively, entries can also be emailed direct to suem@max-publishing.co.uk. 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). The ownership and running of the Gift of the Year awards remains under the stewardship of The Giftware Association while The Greats gift retailer awards are wholly owned and run by Max Publishing (publishers of Progressive Gifts & Home magazine/GiftsandHome.net).
For companies interested in finding out more about sponsorship of The Greats and The Gift Of The Year Awards categories, contact Ali Farrell (e: alisonf@max-publishing.co.uk; mob: 07872 113635); Ian Hyder (e: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk mob: 07525 634 306); Rob Willis (robw@max-publishing.co.uk mob: 07792 016832) or Warren Lomax (e: warren@maxpublishing.co.uk; mob: 07977 572086). Sponsorship of all the award categories in GOTY and The Greats is managed by Max Publishing.
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Some 800 entries were received for the Gift of the Year Awards, organised by The Giftware Association, with PR and marketing manager Chris Workman confirming that 120 companies were brand new to the competition this year. “It shows that we have widened our reach considerably with the growth of the awards ceremony and our new partnerships with #SBS and ‘Dragon’ Sara Davies,” Chris told PG&H. The first round of online judging takes place on 4 January, with the shortlisted products showcased at Spring Fair from February 4-7, where the second live round of judging will take place. The 2024 finalists will then be announced on 14 February. • Spring Fair will again be hosting the live judging of the Gift Of The Year Awards, as well as the GOTY finalists showcase, with a 5% discount offered to all GA members to help with exhibiting costs. Visit www.giftoftheyear.co.uk; www.springfair.com
Above: Judges browsing the Gift of the Year 2023 entries at Spring Fair earlier this year.
Shop Local Leads The Way Good news for gift indies in the run up to Christmas was that a whopping 98% of respondents were keen to support local businesses, revealed research from local gift card company Town & City Gift Cards. Left: Shop local was the watchword this Christmas.
It was an early start to Christmas shopping too, at Hugs and Kisses in Tettenhall. “We put all our Christmas gifts out on display in October, with our Crumble & Core earring cards and our Christmas Jellycat soft toys and matching books all selling well, along with a range of Christmas figurines and snow globes from Heaven Sends,” confirmed owner Caroline Ranwell. At In Heaven At Home in Market Harborough, owner Anne Barber added: “We discreetly launched our Christmas department in September, with trending gifts including Marmalade of London’s aromatherapy diffuser, toys, to include teddy bears and Miffy, and items to keep people warm from The Wheat Bag Company. Customers also loved our wooden decorations from Lottie Murphy, and our cute felt and knitted hanging decorations, particularly the Christmas Jumper.”
Shopping early for Christmas seemed to be the watchword this year, as people looked to spread the cost of their gift buying. “We launched Christmas online on 1 October, as it was payday for many people, and it was very well received with a flurry of early orders,” confirmed Jo Barber, owner of Number 14 Ampthill, Ampthill. “Best sellers included Jellycat’s Festive Follies, Shoeless Joe across the range, ceramic light-up houses from Satchville and felt decorations from Gry & Sif.” Left: Above: Anne Barber holding Lottie Murphy wooden Christmas decorations.
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