Celebrating a successful year for Rotherham town centre

The project was launched as a joint initiative between Rotherham Council and the Advertiser to help showcase the range of businesses and to encourage people to shop locally.

Shortlisted businesses in the four Shoppers’ Choice awards were selected by customers who ensured they received the most votes by naming them either online or through cut-out coupons in the Advertiser.

Businesses also nominated themselves for the Customer Service Awards and an independent panel carried out mystery shops.

Advertiser editor Andrew Mosley, who introduced the awards at Kebabish in Wellgate, said: “Rotherham has taken a lot of stick in the media over the past year but all through that the redevelopment of the town centre has shone through as a beacon of positivity.

“The new shops on the High Street offer a much different shopping experience to the big retail parks and link up nicely with the Minster and All Saints’ Square, then further down the town new businesses, alongside Tesco, have opened up following the football club moving back into Rotherham.

“We thought all this was worth celebrating and the awards seemed the ideal way to do this.”

Best Independent Retailer was La Bella Lingerie and owner  Karen Carr, who gave up her teaching career to realise her retail dream, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won two of the Retailer Awards. As winner of Independent Retailer it goes to show that the public are keen to support new businesses in the town centre and for this I am very grateful. All this is helping to improve the reputation of Rotherham town centre.”

Bernadette Rushton, retail investment manager at the council, said: “Growing our independent retailers has been part of the strategy for improving the overall shopping offer and it is clear from the feedback from residents as part of the #loveRotherham campaign that people value the quality unique businesses in the town centre.”

Find out the full list of winners with pictures in this Friday’s Advertiser.