We may have been doing it for almost quarter of a century, but the SLR Awards remains an absolute highlight of the year for the team at SLR.
It’s a huge amount of work but it’s the most rewarding event of the year for us as it gives us the opportunity to really celebrate all that’s fantastic about local retailing in Scotland and it lets us do it in style.
Our Grado may have stolen the show once again with his madcap banter and manic energy, but the true stars of the night were the retailers – and that’s exactly how it should be.
First off, it was an utter pleasure to help hand over that coveted Scottish Local Retailer of the Year trophy to David’s Kitchen. A truly visionary business that saw the potential of food-to-go long before it became a thing in local retailing, they’ve only continued to grow and progress with the newest store – Bo’ness – an absolute masterclass in building a new store. The chain’s relentless focus on cash profit was also visionary and that too stands it in good stead in the tough times we’re all facing today.
It was also fantastic to recognise both Racetrack and SRJ Convenience who, in their own ways, have rewritten the rule book on what a convenience store is and does.
There was also a wee moment of very personal satisfaction at handing over a Lifetime Achievement Award to Dennis and Linda Williams who have dedicated well over 40 years of their lives to their local Oxgang community while also finding time to play very active roles in the Scottish local retailing sector. Plus, they’re just a lovely pair of human beings.
And none of that is to underplay the joy it gave to hand out awards to every other winner on the night. All of them totally deserving.
The room was awash with passionate, outstanding retailers and it felt like a big retail family coming together to celebrate each other and have a good old communal rammy.
There’s so much for us all to learn from one another and the SLR Awards helps share that best practice and innovation and energy and passion with a wider audience.
Every winner and every shortlisted retailer should be proud as punch because they are among the elite in our sector. They are also the custodians of local retailing in Scotland and, for my money, it couldn’t be in safer hands.
Antony Begley, Publishing Director, SLR
A very rewarding evening
We may have been doing it for almost quarter of a century, but the SLR Awards remains an absolute highlight of the year for the team at SLR.
It’s a huge amount of work but it’s the most rewarding event of the year for us as it gives us the opportunity to really celebrate all that’s fantastic about local retailing in Scotland and it lets us do it in style.
Our Grado may have stolen the show once again with his madcap banter and manic energy, but the true stars of the night were the retailers – and that’s exactly how it should be.
First off, it was an utter pleasure to help hand over that coveted Scottish Local Retailer of the Year trophy to David’s Kitchen. A truly visionary business that saw the potential of food-to-go long before it became a thing in local retailing, they’ve only continued to grow and progress with the newest store – Bo’ness – an absolute masterclass in building a new store. The chain’s relentless focus on cash profit was also visionary and that too stands it in good stead in the tough times we’re all facing today.
It was also fantastic to recognise both Racetrack and SRJ Convenience who, in their own ways, have rewritten the rule book on what a convenience store is and does.
There was also a wee moment of very personal satisfaction at handing over a Lifetime Achievement Award to Dennis and Linda Williams who have dedicated well over 40 years of their lives to their local Oxgang community while also finding time to play very active roles in the Scottish local retailing sector. Plus, they’re just a lovely pair of human beings.
And none of that is to underplay the joy it gave to hand out awards to every other winner on the night. All of them totally deserving.
The room was awash with passionate, outstanding retailers and it felt like a big retail family coming together to celebrate each other and have a good old communal rammy.
There’s so much for us all to learn from one another and the SLR Awards helps share that best practice and innovation and energy and passion with a wider audience.
Every winner and every shortlisted retailer should be proud as punch because they are among the elite in our sector. They are also the custodians of local retailing in Scotland and, for my money, it couldn’t be in safer hands.
Antony Begley, Publishing Director, SLR
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