The Best Small Shops competition celebrates, not only the commitment and creativity of entrepreneurial independent retailers on the UK's High Streets but also, the central role independent retailers play in their local communities.
The Best Small Shops Competition is now in its fifth year of celebrating Indie Retailers in the UK high streets and shopping parades. A brand new award category was introduced for 2020 to recognise independent retailers that have demonstrated specific innovation to combat the impact of COVID-19.
The Best Small Shops competition is in association with Maybe* - Social media engagement and insight tools that help you deliver results.
Cornucopia crowned the Best Small Shop of 2020!
Family run, independent, home and gift shop in Worcester named as Britain's Best Small Shop of 2020!
Cornucopia, whose ethos is all about quality and individuality, stocks both iconic British brands as well as products with a Danish influence that originated with the business founders.
During lockdown it opened a Trouva boutique online with owners Clare and Hannah Bishop taking products home from the shop and turning their garage into a distribution centre. This enabled them to focus on distributing products to customers all over the world as well as giving them the confidence and incentive to open their own online shop.
Watch Cornucopia's winning video now to learn more about the winning shop and see their excellent reaction upon hearing that they were crowned the Best Small Shop of 2020!
Watch Cornucopia's winning video
Runner-ups to Britain's Best Small Shop of 2020
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A G Hendy & Co |
Nourish Zero Waste |
A G Hendy & Co is a homeware shop in Hastings, which offers practical plastic free, eco-friendly goods for the home. The shop prides itself on old-fashioned customer service, where the everyday is made special. Online has grown immensely for it since lockdown first occurred and it is developing its web retail further and enhancing the customer experience. |
Nourish Zero Waste is an ethical, packaging-free, zero waste provisions shop in Topsham, near Exeter. Nourish Zero Waste shop opened in 2019 with the aim is to offer an alternative shopping experience to people who are keen to reduce their use of packaging and plastics, opt for healthier ingredients and start their journey to a more sustainable way of life. |
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Most Innovative Businesses During COVID-19 - new award category
This year's competition was revised to better reflect the current retail climate. The Judges were seeking entries from independent retailers that have been demonstrating specific innovation to combat the impact of COVID-19 in a new award category sponsored by booost, the loyalty, gifting and promotions app.
The new COVID-19 Innovation category is sponsored by booost, the loyalty, gifting and promotions app.
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Graces Bakery |
Small Stuff |
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Three generation family bakery in Ryde, Graces Bakery, was recognised with a national award for the way it navigated its way through the first Covid-19 lockdown. During lockdown Graces supported their local community and hospital by supplying baked goods and sandwiches through a delivery service, while also building a brand new website in just one week. |
Small Stuff is a children's shop in Sheffield specialising in ethical and eco-conscious lifestyle products and clothing for small children. The retailer's online store thrived during lockdown, using customer knowledge to deliver the very best service, also adding informative Zoom videos. They sent out newsletters and free gifts to keep young ones entertained, as well as home schooling advice. |
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Watch Graces Bakery's winning video |
Watch Small Stuff's winning video |
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Runner Up: A G Hendy & CoA G Hendy & Co is a homeware shop in Hastings, which offers practical plastic free, eco-friendly goods for the home. The shop prides itself on old-fashioned customer service, where the everyday is made special. Online has grown immensely for it since lockdown first occurred and it is developing its web retail further and enhancing the customer experience.
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Runner Up: Nourish Zero WasteNourish Zero Waste is an ethical, packaging-free, zero waste provisions shop in Topsham, near Exeter. Nourish Zero Waste shop opened in 2019 with the aim is to offer an alternative shopping experience to people who are keen to reduce their use of packaging and plastics, opt for healthier ingredients and start their journey to a more sustainable way of life. Watch Nourish Zero Waste's winning video
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Most Innovative Business During COVID-19: Graces BakeryThree generation family bakery in Ryde, Graces Bakery, was recognised with a national award for the way it navigated its way through the first Covid-19 lockdown. During lockdown Graces supported their local community and hospital by supplying baked goods and sandwiches through a delivery service, while also building a brand new website in just one week.
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Most Innovative Business During COVID-19:Small StuffSmall Stuff is a children's shop in Sheffield specialising in ethical and eco-conscious lifestyle products and clothing for small children. The retailer's online store thrived during lockdown, using customer knowledge to deliver the very best service, also adding informative Zoom videos. They sent out newsletters and free gifts to keep young ones entertained, as well as home schooling advice.
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Read the full Best Small Shops competition 2020 shortlist
Due to the high number of excellent quality entrants this year there was a total of 30 shops announced in the running to be named Winner, Runner Up or Most Innovative Business During COVID-19.
The shortlisted shops for 2020 were:
A G Hendy & Co, a homeware shop in Hastings, which offers practical plastic free, eco-friendly goods for the home.
Art In The Mill, a contemporary and independent art gallery in Knaresborough, Yorkshire.
Books At The Dragon's Garden, an appointment only bookshop in Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire.
Brecon Chocolates, which stocks a large range of handmade onsite chocolates and truffles as well as its own range of dairy free, gluten free chocolates.
Cawthornes, a family business in Nuneaton that has been trading since 1868, which supplies print, graphic design, office supplies and promotional gifts.
Cornucopia, a family run, independent, home and gift shop in Worcester.
Elmy Cycles, an independent bicycle retailer in Ipswich, which remained
open from the first day of lockdown in March, adapting and changing its
business as it went along.
Fillfull, a plastic free shop in Ottery St Mary, East Devon, where you can buy refills and eco products for your zero waste journey.
Grace's Bakery, a three generation family bakery in Ryde, Isle of Wight, which was established by the Redrup family in 1997.
Griffin Books, an independent bookshop in Penarth, which offers a range of fiction and non-fiction titles for adults and children, alongside maps, greeting cards and gifts.
Mr B's Emporium Of Reading Delights, an innovative bookshop in the heart of Bath, which has built its business around book recommendations.
Naked Pantry & Naked Quench, the New Forest's first and only Zero Waste plastic free groceries & coffee shop in New Milton.
Newton Farm Shop & Café at Newton St Loe on the outskirts of Bath, which has developed from a butcher's counter to a well-stocked shop and award-winning cafe serving home-reared meat from the farm.
Nourish of Topsham, an ethical, packaging-free, zero waste provisions shop in Topsham, near Exeter.
Oberon Clothing & Accessories, a ladies clothing, jewellery and accessories boutique in the heart of Shrewsbury.
The Pangbourne Cheese Shop in Pangbourne, near Reading, which offers around 130 local, British and continental cheeses, mostly from small artisan producers.
Pennine Cycles, an independent cycle shop in Bradford, which specialises in road bikes but sells all bikes including children's, hybrids and BMXs as well as cycling accessories and apparel.
Recycle York, a cycle shop in York, which buys, sells and repairs bicycles as well as refurbishing bikes for a fraction of the cost of a new one.
Richardson's Of Whitehaven, an independent wine merchant and coffee roaster in Whitehaven, Cumbria.
Ruby and the Angel, a gift shop in Debenham, near Stowmarket, Suffolk, which offers a range including jewellery, scarves, handbags and cards.
Shed 1 Distillery, an award-winning gin shop and distillery in Ulverston, Cumbria, which offers gin gifts, artisan gin and handmade local gin distilled in the Lake District.
Small Stuff UK, a children's shop in Sheffield, which specialises in ethical and eco-conscious lifestyle products and clothing for small children.
Soak Southwell, a bath products shop in Southwell, near Nottingham, which offers high quality, handmade, vegan friendly, plastic free bathing products.
Sophie Sews, a soft furnishing shop in Horsell near Woking, which creates bespoke curtains, blinds and soft furnishings for clients.
Sound Records, a record shop in Stroud, which sells the best records of all genres from rock, jazz and funk to Latin, African and hip hop.
Stationery Supplies, a stationery shop in Marple, Cheshire, which one customer described as having "the most epic array of stationery and the loveliest owner".
Sweet Baby Cheezus, a cheesecake shop in Bramley, Leeds, which also tempts customers with cookies and brownies.
T.H. Burroughs, a family butcher and farm shop in Swindon, which was first established nearly eighty years ago and is now being managed by the family's third generation.
The Bead Shop in Nottingham, which stocks a large range of beading & jewellery making materials and a wide range of kits designed in-house.
Wild Thyme, an independent wholefood shop in Southsea, which is a worker co-operative, and which includes a juice bar and take-away counter.
You can find more information about all of the shortlisted shops, as well as every business who has entered the competition, on the Indie Retail directory raising customer awareness throughout the UK.
When posting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter ensure you tag Indie Retail and use the hashtag #BestSmallShops for a chance to get reposted!
Click here for competition terms and conditions.
