Chester BID announces the city’s best businesses

Chester BID announces the city’s best businesses

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. 

  1. BEST: Coffee Shop/Cafe
  • WINNER              Marmalade
  • RUNNER UP     The Flower Cup
  • RUNNER UP     The Jaunty Goat
  1. BEST: Food on the Go
  • WINNER              Jaunty Goat Bakeaway
  • RUNNER UP        Planet Doughnut
  • RUNNER UP        Chatwins
  1. BEST: Restaurant
  • WINNER              Hamayuu
  • RUNNER UP        Ristorante Sergio
  • RUNNER UP        Chez Jules
  1. BEST: Pubs, Bars and Clubs
  • WINNER              BarLounge
  • RUNNER UP        Paysan
  • RUNNER UP        Dublin Packet
  1. BEST: Small Retailer (20 staff or less)
  • WINNER              Lush
  • RUNNER UP        Waterstones
  • RUNNER UP        Hotel Chocolat
  1. BEST: Small Fashion Retailer (20 staff or fewer)
  • WINNER              Fatface
  • RUNNER UP        The White Company
  • RUNNER UP        Dr Martens
  1. BEST: Independent Retailer (fewer than 5 branches)
  • WINNER              Watergate Street Gallery
  • RUNNER UP        Just Footprints
  • RUNNER UP        Weasel and the Bug
  1. BEST: Large Retailer (21 or more staff)
  • WINNER              Marks & Spencer
  • RUNNER UP        Wilko
  • RUNNER UP        Boots Foregate Street
  1. BEST: Health and Beauty Services
  • WINNER              The Scented Garden Retreat
  • RUNNER UP        Scissors
  • RUNNER UP        The Body Shop
  1. BEST: Professional Services
  • WINNER              Lloyds
  • RUNNER UP        Natwest
  • RUNNER UP        Halifax
  1. BEST: Travel & Leisure
  • WINNER              Storyhouse
  • RUNNER UP        Breakout Chester
  • RUNNER UP        Sick to Death
  1. BEST: Hotel / B&B
  • WINNER              The Hotel Chester
  • RUNNER UP        The Chester Grosvenor
  • RUNNER UP        Pied Bull
  1. BEST: Chester Market Trader
  • WINNER              The Cheese Wedge
  • RUNNER UP        Geoff Hughes Family Butcher
  • RUNNER UP        Death by Tacos
  1. 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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