2019 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards Winners

2019 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards Winners
Joe Lindsay & Sarah Travers hosted the 2019 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards

The 2019 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards was a resounding success with 500 retailers and leading companies coming together in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast.

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Joe Lindsay & Sarah Travers hosted the 2019 Neighbourhood Retailer Awards

Following the fabulous, Neighbourhood Retailer Summit, the atmosphere was electric as hundreds of the country’s leading retailers gathered in the ballroom for the annual showcase of industry excellence.

Hosted by Sarah Travers and Joe Lindsay, the winning stores in 19 categories were announced over the course of the Gala Awards evening to collect their gong on stage. Peter McBride was honoured as this year’s deserving Lifetime Achievement recipient and JC Stewarts Magherafelt took home the overall title of 2019 Retailer of the Year.

Special guests on the night included James Dunbar, head of field sales, for Platinum Sponsor Camelot and Jim Dennison from Charity Partner, The Simon Community.

The only award to be decided by a mixture of public vote and mystery shopper visits was Community Store of the Year which was awarded to Kearney’s of Randalstown.

With more entries than ever before, a huge congratulations to all of our winners and finalists on the night and for a full flavour of the night look no further…

Retailer of the Year

Winner – JC Stewarts, Magherafelt

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Category sponsor, Moira Mills from Moy Park, Oonagh Kelly, Kyle Ballantine, Shaun Kelly, Pearce Kelly, Gary McCullagh, Pauline McLaughlin and Ann-Marie McAlary.

Lifetime Achievement

Peter McBride, McBride Retail Group

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Pictured are Philip Morrow, co-founder of category sponsor, PRM with 2019’s Lifetime Achievement Recipient; Peter McBride, and Bill Penton; MD Penton Exhibitions.

Neighbourhood Store, Category 1 – up to 1,750 sq ft

Winner – McGoveran’s Centra Donegall Street

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Pictured are Donagh McGovern; John Baxter from category sponsor, KP Snacks; David Griffiths; Jonah Gardner and Kerrie-Ann McGoldrick.

Finalists

The finalists were Michael Wilson, Spar Ballyclare; Judy Mercer, Spar Greenway; Paula Cairns, McGoverns Centra; John Baxter, from category sponsor, KP Snacks; Emma Best, Mace Castle Street and Wesley Wilkinson, Wilkinson Spar.

Best Customer Service

Winner – Spar Parkgate

William and Diane Bill, Spar Parkgate and John Carr (centre) from category sponsor, Costa Express.

Finalists

The finalists were Patrick McConville, Nisalocal Ardboe; Paula Cunningham, Bumpers Vivo; John Carr, from category sponsor, Costa Express; Conor Watson, Watson’s Centra; Pauline Elliott, Creightons of Blacks Road and John Jackson, Jackson’s Butchers, Bakery and Coffee Shop.

Off Licence of the Year

Winner – The Fiveways Nisaextra

Dominic O’Hare (left), The Fiveways Nisaextra and Peter Rodgers from category sponsor, Findlater & Co.

Finalists

The finalists were Ross Gibson, SuperValu Dungiven; Victoria Paul, Crawfords of Maghera; Eddie McKee, Milestone Rathfriland Ltd; Peter Rodgers from category sponsor, Findlater & Co.; Paul Millar, SuperValu Eglinton and Richard Lusty, Lusty’s Centra.

Fresh Food Store of the Year

Winner – JC Stewarts, Magherafelt

Gary McCullough and Pauline McLaughlin, JC Stewarts with Sean Owens from category sponsor, IFEX.

Finalists

Emma Rice, Springisland Supermarket; Damian McHugh, Newell Stores; Una Heatley, Kearney’s of Randalstown; Sean Owens from category sponsor, IFEX; Darren Given, Swifts Eurospar and Lynn Smiley, Eurospar P&G.

Newcomer of the Year

Winner – Spar Fortfield

Adrian Mellon, Spar Fortfield and JP Lyttle from category sponsor, Genesis.

Finalists

The finalists are Ivor Doherty, Eurospar Skeoge; Tom Greene, Centra Lake Road; Maria McAllister, Centra City Quays; Kevin Dunn, O’Hare’s Vivoxtra; JP Lyttle from category sponsor, Genesis; Paul Patterson, Moundview Service Station and Shane Maguire, Lilley’s Centra Dublin Road.

Forecourt of the Year Category 1 with c-store up to 1,750 sq ft

Winner – Centra Carrickfergus

Keith Tomlinson and Paul Gallagher from Centra Carrickfergus with category sponsor, Dessie Aughey of Air Serv Ireland.

Finalists

The finalists are Stuart Roulston, Trory Circle K Service Station; Christopher Robb, Lissan Go Service Station; Claire Wilson, Spar Shankill Road; Dessie Aughey from category sponsor, Air Serv Ireland; Sacha Dolan, Circle K Traveller’s Rest and Gerard Smyth, Centra Banbridge.

Neighbourhood Category 2 – 1,751 to 3.500 sq ft

Winner – Watson’s Centra Portaferry

Ray Livingston and Declan Watson from Watson’s Centra with category sponsor, James Dunsmore (centre) of Note Machine.

Finalists

The finalists are Michael Corry, Corry Spar; Alrene McFarland, Mace Newmills; Una Lilley, Centra Drumlyon; James Dunsmore from category sponsor, Note Machine; Paul Duffy, McBride’s Spar and Pauline Elliott, Creightons of Blacks Road.

Deli of the Year

Winner – Creightons of Balmoral

Michael Smyth and Elaine Williams with category sponsor, Judy Shaw (left) of Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

Finalists

The finalists are David Young, Newell Stores; Maria McAllister, Centra City Quays; Joanne Walker, Eurospar Donegall Road; Judy Shaw from category sponsor, Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer; Donna and Eimear Moran, Moran’s Centra and Cathal Grant from Milestone Rathfriland Ltd.

Community Store of the Year

Winner – Kearney’s of Randalstown

James Dunbar of Platinum Sponsor Camelot is pictured with Una Heatley, Grainne O’Boyle and James Kearney from winning store Kearney’s of Randalstown.

Finalists

The finalists are Brian McCullen, Spar Ballybean; Ross Gibson, SuperValu Dungiven; Orlagh McConville, Nisalocal Ardboe; Jennifer McDowell, Spar Greenway; Martin Hanna, Centra Derrylin and Alan Gilliland, Creightons of Finaghy.

Neighbourhood Category 3 – 3,501 – 7,000 sq ft

Winner – Creightons of Finaghy

Suzie Gorman and Alan Gilliland, Creigtons of Finaghy and category sponsor, Ben Daggett (left) from Hovis Ireland.

Finalists

The finalists are Martin McLaughlin, McCools SuperValu; Connor and Donna Moran, Moran’s SuperValu; (rear) Jonny Cantley, The Fresh Food Centre; (rear) Sean McCann, Eurospar Carrick Milestone; Ben Daggett from category sponsor, Hovis Ireland; Fergus McAnallen, Spar McAnallens; Lee Quinn and Stephen Gamble, O’Hare’s Supermarkets.

CTN of the Year

Winner – Mace Castle Street

Pictured with category sponsor, Andrea Keers of JTI (left) are Michael Quinn, Emma Best, Alistair Patterson from Musgrave and Nicole Cochrane from Mace Castle Street.

Finalists

The fnalists are Ryan Armstrong and Claire Wilson, Spar Shankill Road; category sponsor, Andrew Keers from JTI; Wendy Cooke, Vivo Donemana; Vicki Leathem, Leathem’s Centra and Dermot Lynch, Vivo Clanabogan.

Neighbourhood, Category 4 – 7,001 sq ft plus

Winner – Milestone Rathfriland

Jack McAvoy, Ann McAvoy, Garry Corry, Ashleen Houston, Rachel Cassells from category sponsor, Edge E-Liquids and Tom McAvoy.

Finalists

The finalists are Enya Mulkerns, Mulkerns Eurospar Ltd; Ivor Doherty, Eurospar Skeoge; Jonathan Crawford, Crawfords of Maghera; Rachel Cassells from category sponsor, Edge E-Liquids; Gary McCullough, JC Stewarts and Lynn Smiley, Eurospar P&G.

Forecourt of the Year Category 2 with c-store 1,751 sq ft plus

Winner – Eurospar Brackenvale 

Lynsey Wilson of Eurospar Brackenvale and category sponsor, David Atkinson from BLU.

Finalists

The finalists are Gabrielle Bell, Bells SuperValue; Philip Woods, Centra Dobbin Road; Andrew Porter, Crightons of Balmoral; David Atkinson from category sponsor, BLU; Emily Mahon and Lee Quinn from O’Hare’s Mayobridge Eurospar and Eimear Moran, Moran’s Centra.

Store Manager of the Year

Winner – Alastair Connor, McCool’s SuperValu Ballymoney

Alistair Connor and Peter McCool from McCool’s SuperValu, Ballymoney with Glenn McCormick from category sponsor, PRL.

Finalists

The finalists are Stephen McMahon, Co-op Old Park Road; Martin Reynolds, SuperValu Comber; Martin McLaughlin, McCool’s SuperValu Kells; Glenn McCormick from category sponsor, PRL; Amy Crawford, Vivo Granville; Ronan Devine, Lynch’s Spar and Damien Wardman, McBride’s Spar.

Bakery of the Year

Winner – Heatherlea Bakery

Ciaran Harkin from category sponsor Mortons Flour is pictured with Paul Gerry, Jowita Abramowicz. Gemma McEachren, and Glen Deans.

Finalists

The finalists are Anne –Marie McAlary and Kyle Ballantine from JC Stewarts; Una Donnelly and Anne McNeill from Donnelly’s Bakery & Coffee Shop; Jonathan Crawford, Crawfords of Maghera; David Harrison of Eurospar Rathcoole and Graeme Niblock of Knead Bakery.

Pharmacy of the Year

Winner – Bannside Pharmacy

Eoghan O’Brien, Bannside Pharmacy with Darren Atkinson from category sponsor, Aspire Create.

Finalists

The finalists are Anita and Patrick Kennedy, Kennedy’s Pharmacy; Darren Atkinson from category sponsor, Aspire Create and Sandra Cooke from Whitehouse Pharmacy.

Butcher of the Year

Winner – Jackon’s Butchers, Bakery & Coffee Shop

John and Lynda Jackson, Jackson’s Butchers, Bakery and Coffee Shop and sponsor Cliff Uprichard (left), from Porkka.

Finalists

The finalists are James Cunningham, Cunningham Butchers; Paul Fearon, Newell Stores; Fergal McKay, McKay Family Butchers; Cliff Upritchard from category sponsor, Porkka; Shane Doherty, McAtamney’s Butchers, Limavady; Patrick McGoldrick, McAtamney’s Butchers, Coleraine and Rory Cassidy, McAtamney’s Butchers, Ballymena.