Gift Focus - Jul/Aug 2018 (Issue 108)

The coveted accolades celebrate the best specialist independent retailers in the UK, with judges looking for the most impressive levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement Farm Shop and Deli Show 2018 – winners announced! JUDGING PROCESS The winners were chosen by a group of esteemed speciality retail, fine food and food media experts, who came together to whittle down the high-calibre, high-volume entries. BBC Radio 2 presenter and food aficionado Nigel Barden again stepped in as chair of judges, joined by co-chair Elaine Lemm; Ashleigh-Kate O’Mahony, food trends reporter, The Grocer ; and John Gill, head of commercial operations and buyer at Booths. Paper judging produced a shortlist of the best, some of which then underwent mystery guest testing, as the judges took to the road to observe what was on offer at venues across the country. Looking for staff knowledge, enthusiasm, service, a second-to-none product offer, professionalism and an integrated stalwart of their respective communities, they were left with the tough job of picking the winners for these increasingly prestigious awards for 2018. After weeks of on- the-ground judging, the victorious entrants were chosen for both the category awards and the best in each of nine UK regions. CATEGORY WINNERS AND THOSE COMMENDED: BAKER OF THE YEAR Winner: Filbert’s Bakery (Lancaster) Commended: Bondgate Bakery (Otley) / Hambleton Bakery (Oakham) / Hobbs House Bakery (Tetbury) / Jervaulx Abbey Tearooms (Ripon) BUTCHER OF THE YEAR AND NORTH WEST WINNER Winner: Edge & Son (Birkenhead) Commended: Cunninghams Butchers and Food Hall (Kilkeel) / Low Howgill Butchers & Deli (Appleby-in-Westmorland) CHEESEMONGER OF THE YEAR Winner: The Courtyard Dairy (Austwick) Commended: Love Cheese (York) / Paxton & Whitfield (Chelsea Green, London) DELICATESSEN OF THE YEAR AND SOUTH EAST WINNER Winner: The Goring Grocer (Reading) Commended: Chandos Deli (Bristol) / No2 Pound Street (Wendover) / The Hungry Guest (Petworth) / The Norfolk Deli (Hunstanton) / Thornham Deli (Hunstanton) FARMSHOP – LARGE RETAILER OF THE YEAR AND MIDLANDS WINNER Winner: Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café (Nr Uttoxeter) Commended: Becketts Farm (Wythall) / Chatsworth Estate Farm Shop (Bakewell) / Farmer Copleys Ltd (Pontefract) / Mainsgill Farmshop (Richmond) / The Udder Farm Shop (East Stour) FARMSHOP – SMALL RETAILER OF THE YEAR Winner: Welbeck Farm Shop (Worksop) Commended: Blair Drummond Smiddy Farm Shop (Stirling) / Cedarbarn Farm Shop (Pickering) / Etherington’s Farm Shop (Redruth) / Fordhall Organic Farm (Market Drayton) / Rhug Farm Shop (Corwen) / The Gog Farm Shop (Cambridge) / The Lambing Shed Farm Shop and Café (Knutsford) / Three Trees Farm Shop & Cafe (Swindon) / Waterloo Cottage Farm (Great Oxendon) FISHMONGER OF THE YEAR Winner: Fyne Fish Ltd (Cockermouth) Commended: Dabs ‘n’ Crabs (Great Yarmouth) / Latimers Seafood Ltd (Sunderland) / The Fresh Fish Shop Ltd (Haywards Heath) FOODHALL OF THE YEAR Winner: Webbs (Droitwich Spa) Commended: Delifonseca Dockside (Liverpool) / Fodder (Harrogate) / Great Cornish Food Store (Truro)/ Ludlow Food Centre (Ludlow) GREENGROCER OF THE YEAR Winner: Rafters (Driffield) Commended: Oakchurch Farm Shop (Hereford) MARKET OF THE YEAR Winner: West Malling Farmers Market (West Malling) Commended: Lenham Country Market (Lenham) NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR Winner: The Goring Grocer (Reading) Commended: Blair Drummond Smiddy Farm Shop (Stirling) / Great Cornish Food Store (Truro)/ Love Cheese (York) / Low Howgill Butchers & Deli (Appleby-in- Westmorland) / The Lambing Shed Farm Shop and Café (Knutsford) ONLINE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AND NORTH EAST WINNER Winner: Farmison & Co (Ripon) Commended: Eat Great Meat Limited (Wortley) / Farmer’s Choice Free Range (Fareham) VILLAGE STORE / LOCAL SHOP OF THE YEAR Winner: FINK (York) Commended: R Campbell & Son Limited (Leyburn)/ Shropshire’s Own (Shrewsbury) The Farm Shop & Deli Awards will be back in 2019, with entries already open. Further information and how to register interest in entering can be found at: farmshopand- delishow.co.uk/awards 62 giftfocus