A glittering ceremony held at Chester Cathedral celebrates the businesses voted to have the best customer service in the city
Chester city centre businesses gathered together to celebrate the winners of the annual Chester BID Customer Service Awards at the Cathedral (Tuesday October 19th).
The awards, introduced by Chester’s Business Improvement District in 2015, recognise Chester’s shops, restaurants, bars, independent retailers and other businesses that take the time to make the customer’s experience exceptional.
Nominated online by the public, the awards cover 16 different categories, including ‘Best Independent Business’ and ‘Best Large Retailer’. The retailers and outlets that received the most votes from the public were visited by judges to determine the overall winner for each category.
Among the winners on the night was Watergate Street Gallery, which has twice been a runner and has now won the ‘Best Independent Retailer’ award for the first time.
Newcomers to the awards, Marmalade, on Northgate picked up the title of ‘Best Coffee Shop / Cafe’.
Another newcomer, The Hotel Chester was noted for its exceptional customer service in the category, ‘Best Hotel / B&B’, and winning the ‘Best of Grosvenor Shopping Centre’ was Whitewall Galleries.
Marks & Spencer won ‘Best Large Retailer’ (21 Staff or more) for the third time, whilst Lush picked up the accolade for ‘Small Retailer (20 staff or fewer)’.
Storyhouse won the ‘Best Travel and Leisure’ award. Further winners included The Scented Garden Retreat in the ‘Health & Beauty services’ category, as well as Fatface, which picked up the award for ‘Small Fashion Retailer’.
Jaunty Goat’s newest venture, Jaunty Goat Bakery was recognised with the award for ‘Best Food On The Go’, whilst ‘Best Restaurant’ went to newcomers from Japanese restaurant Hamayuu and ‘Best Pub, Bar and Club’ was awarded to Bar Lounge.
Lloyds Bank were presented with the ‘Best Professional Services’ award.
Three new awards were introduced this year. ‘Best Market Trader’ went to The Cheese Wedge and the ‘Sustainability Award’ sponsored by Chester Zoo was given to Jaunty Goat, in recognition of how they manage fair wages to farmers at source and their work with Carbon Neutral companies they work with.
A ‘Special Award’ sponsored by Chester Business Club was also introduced to recognise exceptional customer service achievements. This was awarded to Shrub who not only began their business during the initial lockdown, but also broke down barriers to create a creative al fresco dining space and represented Chester’s hospitality industry on TV, print and radio as part of the city’s Chester Together campaign.
Carl Critchlow, BID Manager at Chester BID, said: “It is just fantastic to welcome back these awards and to recognise the hardworking businesses that make Chester such a special place to shop, dine and visit.”
“We introduced the awards at the beginning of our first term and they are now an integral part of the annual business calendar. After the challenging landscape the high street has faced over the Covid crisis, it is doubly important to us that we take the time to celebrate the businesses who have faced adversity with such determination, innovation and positivity.”
“It is of course, the people within these businesses that make customer’s experiences so special, and the same people who make our city so welcoming and popular with Cestrians and tourists alike.”
Winners 2021 CSA’s – list and order for event – see full photo album by clicking here.
- BEST: Coffee Shop/Cafe
- WINNER Marmalade
- RUNNER UP The Flower Cup
- RUNNER UP The Jaunty Goat
- BEST: Food on the Go
- WINNER Jaunty Goat Bakeaway
- RUNNER UP Planet Doughnut
- RUNNER UP Chatwins
- BEST: Restaurant
- WINNER Hamayuu
- RUNNER UP Ristorante Sergio
- RUNNER UP Chez Jules
- BEST: Pubs, Bars and Clubs
- WINNER BarLounge
- RUNNER UP Paysan
- RUNNER UP Dublin Packet
- BEST: Small Retailer (20 staff or less)
- WINNER Lush
- RUNNER UP Waterstones
- RUNNER UP Hotel Chocolat
- BEST: Small Fashion Retailer (20 staff or fewer)
- WINNER Fatface
- RUNNER UP The White Company
- RUNNER UP Dr Martens
- BEST: Independent Retailer (fewer than 5 branches)
- WINNER Watergate Street Gallery
- RUNNER UP Just Footprints
- RUNNER UP Weasel and the Bug
- BEST: Large Retailer (21 or more staff)
- WINNER Marks & Spencer
- RUNNER UP Wilko
- RUNNER UP Boots Foregate Street
- BEST: Health and Beauty Services
- WINNER The Scented Garden Retreat
- RUNNER UP Scissors
- RUNNER UP The Body Shop
- BEST: Professional Services
- WINNER Lloyds
- RUNNER UP Natwest
- RUNNER UP Halifax
- BEST: Travel & Leisure
- WINNER Storyhouse
- RUNNER UP Breakout Chester
- RUNNER UP Sick to Death
- BEST: Hotel / B&B
- WINNER The Hotel Chester
- RUNNER UP The Chester Grosvenor
- RUNNER UP Pied Bull
- BEST: Chester Market Trader
- WINNER The Cheese Wedge
- RUNNER UP Geoff Hughes Family Butcher
- RUNNER UP Death by Tacos
- BEST of Grosvenor Shopping Centre
- WINNER Whitewall Galleries
- RUNNER UP Kayes Jewellers
- RUNNER UP Jewellery by Design
15. The Special Award
- WINNER Shrub
16. Sustainability Champion
- WINNER Jaunty Goat
- HONOURABLE MENTION Just Footprints
- HONOURABLE MENTION Shrub
- HONOURABLE MENTION Base Architects
- HONOURABLE MENTION Weasel & The Bug
- HONOURABLE MENTION Lush
Published 20 October 2021
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