Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Last Wednesday (October 9) saw a host of housewares retailers and suppliers honoured at the 2013 Excellence in Housewares Awards.
The winners were announced at a flamboyant Calypso Carnival themed ball at the Lancaster London, which recognised the nation’s best housewares retailers in a range of independent and multiple categories, as well as products across the housewares board.
The Retail Employee of the Year award went to David Conduit, buyer of Harts of Stur, while Jarrolds of Norwich was named Best Department Store – Independent, and Bentalls of Kingston-upon-Thames took the crown of Best Department Store – Multiple Branch or Group Member. The Most Promising Newcomer prize was scooped by Jill’s Cookshop of Hoylake.
The winner of the Excellence in Retail Display – Independent was the Abraxas cookshop chain while the Excellence in Retail Display – Multiple or Department Store prize was garnered by Lakeland.
Steamer Trading Cookshop claimed the Excellence in Specialist Retailing (Multiple and Large Independents) and Excellence in Non-Specialist Multiple Retailing was taken by Dunelm.
Excellence in Direct Retailing was awarded to Harts of Stur and the winner of the Excellence in Retailer Initiative was Apple Crumble & Kitsch of Bishops Waltham for its local ingredients evening demonstrations.
Excellence in Retail Training went to Kitchens of Bath, Bristol and Cardiff and the CHA Retailer of the Year accolade was given to The Kitchen Range Cookshop of Market Harborough and Oakham.
One exceptional Excellence in Housewares Awards retail winner was announced as the UK gia winner: Lakeland. Gia is the Global Innovation Awards programme, which honours housewares retailers from over 20 countries around the world. The global gia sponsor is the International Home and Housewares Show, held in Chicago from March 15 – 18 2014. Lakeland will be honoured at the gia gala event here next year.
In the product awards, Robert Welch Designs’ Signature Professional Knife Block won the Cutting Edge Award, while the Architect range From Dualit won the Plugged-In Award. The Top Tool or Gadget Award went to the Rice Cube from Dexam and the Innovation in Product Award went to the Citrus Spray from Lekue.
Portmeirion’s Sophie Conran For Portmeirion Cookware was the winner of Excellence in Cookware, and Joseph Joseph’s Wash & Drain Washing Up Bowl claimed the Excellence in Homewares prize. The Top of the Table Award went to the Drift Jugs Range from Robert Welch Designs.
The Excellence in Service Award went to Kitchen Craft, the Excellence in Marketing Award went to Le Creuset and Joseph Joseph took the Excellence in Innovation Award. The Icon Award was given to the Tala Conical Measuring Jug from George East Housewares.
Finally, the title of Honorary Achievement went to Paul Woolley, managing director of Bira direct, the central buying and invoicing subsidiary company of bira (British Independent Retailers Association).
