Back with a live event for the first time since 2019, the 20th SLR Awards recognised the very best of Scotland’s convenience retailing sector. Shamly Sud was star of the show, collecting five awards before being named Scottish Local Retailer of the Year for the second year in a row.
Shamly Sud and her family were smiling on Wednesday night (7 September) after claiming the Scottish Local Retailer of the Year award for the second year in succession at the SLR Awards.
The glittering event was an extra-special one for SLR as it marked the 20th anniversary of the Awards. Held at Glasgow’s Radisson blu hotel, it saw Shamly – the driving force behind the Premier Racetrack chain of stores – scoop five awards as well as the highly coveted top prize.
Her stunning Premier Racetrack Pitstop store in Bearsden claimed four of these: Forecourt Retailer of the Year, New Store of the Year, Sustainability Retailer of the Year, and the #ThinkSmart Innovation Award.
The Young Scottish Retailer of the Year award went to Girish Jeeva, in recognition of the £300,000 investment and the work he has put into creating a fantastic Premier store in Barmulloch, aged just 28.
Danielle Couse, from the Nisa Motherwell Road store in Bellshill, was named Unsung Hero for her pivotal role in running the store’s flourishing home delivery business while Graham Watson picked up the Community Retailer of the Year gong for his outstanding efforts serving his local community over the last year. This marked the second year in a row that Graham, owner of Premier Watson’s Grocer in Moniaive, has won this category.
There was a moment of reflection when the family of the late Mohammed Issa MBE took to stage in special recognition of his achievements over a lifetime in the industry. Mohammed was co-founder of the 1st Stop 2 Shop store chain and a community champion in Dundee who raised money for numerous local and national charities.
In the much-sought-after symbol group categories, Spar Scotland took the Community Initiative of the Year award while Premier was named Symbol Group of the Year.
Alongside the awards, the evening, hosted by comedian and TV and radio presenter Des Clarke, also saw guests treated to a cookery demonstration by celebrity chef Nick Nairn.
See all the winners on the SLR Awards website.
