Musselburgh Nisa retailer Dan Brown has been named Scottish Local Retailer of the Year at the SLR Rewards 2020, sponsored by St Pierre Group – just a year after claiming the Young Retailer of the Year crown.
It was a successful night for Dan, the youngest SGF President in history, as he collected two category awards as well as the ultimate prize, including Food-To-Go Retailer of the Year and Scottish Brands Retailer of the Year. For good measure, Dan and his team also collected a Highly Commended award in the Fresh, Chilled & Frozen Retailer of the Year category.
Bellshill Nisa retailer Umar Majid claimed the freshly vacated Young Retailer of the Year crown for his efforts in revitalising the store his father Abdul has owned for decades with the introduction of a new Baba’s Kitchen food-to-go concept that has seen sales and profits flourish.
Ibrox Premier retailer Shamly Sud and her family also enjoyed a highly successful evening, picking up the Forecourt Retailer of the Year, Best Refit of the Year and ThinkSmart Innovation awards for their show-stopping Racetrack Autoport Services store.
Booker CEO Charles Wilson was honoured on the night with a Special Recognition Award after announcing his imminent retirement in September. Charles’ legacy in this industry is unrivalled with the judges hailing him as “one of the most successful businessmen in the UK in any industry” and recognising how he had achieved all of this with “humility and compassion”.
In an industry replete with Covid Heroes, SLR highlighted two individuals and rewarded them with Covid Hero Awards for their exceptional contributions to their local communities during the pandemic. Linda Williams of Premier Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh was recognised for her innovative and hugely beneficial Covid Hardship Fun concept that has seen around £10,000 handed out to members of her local community who were in urgent need of a little help. Sean Boyd, a Snappy Shopper delivery driver at Family Choice Hamilton, was also recognised for the work he did during coronavirus, effectively turning his delivery job into an outreach service, helping hundreds of vulnerable local people when they really needed the support.
“It was a fantastic evening, and we hope that that the 700 or so people who have seen it so far enjoyed the virtual format,” said SLR Publisher Antony Begley. “Putting a full scale virtual event on for the first time was undoubtedly a challenge for our team but they did an outstanding job and it was hugely satisfying to be able to recognise and reward not just the shortlisted entrants and winners on Friday, but the entire local retailing sector in Scotland.
“Local retailers have shone like never before under coronavirus and have finally had the critical role that play at the heart of communities across Scotland celebrated and recognised by a much wider audience – and not before time.
“Huge congratulations to every winner and every shortlisted entrant.”
