A GLITTERING awards ceremony has recognised the shining stars of Manchester’s retail community.
Stores and restaurants have been celebrated at the inaugural Manchester Arndale Retailer Awards yesterday evening where the coveted fashion categories were dominated by winners All Saints, Jacamo, Ann Summers and Aldo.
The ever popular Topman and Topshop collected the Large Store award, whilst Swarovski sparkled as best Jewellery Store and Lush bagged Health & Beauty Store.
Disney scooped Children’s Store of the Year, Game tapped into the Technology & Media Store of the year award, Thomas Cook took home the award for best Financial and Services Store and Poundworld collected the Specialist Store award.
Representing the wealth of food outlets in the centre, the luxurious Hotel Chocolat was recognised as best Gift & Accessories store, Nando’s spiced it up with best Café, Bar and Restaurant and KFC was recognised as best Fast Food and Food to Go.
David Allinson, Centre Director at Manchester Arndale, said: “We launched our Retailer Awards this year to celebrate just how valued our retailers and their store teams are to their customers and Manchester Arndale.
“We enjoyed a fantastic evening yesterday and in its first year we are all thrilled with the support we have received from our voting customers and retailers. We are proud to recognise that the people that form our successful store teams are such an important asset.” 
Each store in the centre received a mystery shop visit and more than 3,500 votes were recorded by Manchester Arndale over the past few months, with customers eager to celebrate their favourite store, staff and restaurants in the centre. The ceremony at the Football Museum was packed out on Sunday as the winners of the 17 categories took to the stage.
A special set of awards for “That shop I can’t live without” went to Simply Be and independent store, Paul’s Hair and Beauty World. A personal recognition went to Nikki Purcell the store manager at Paul’s Hair and Beauty World, who won the coveted “Service with a Smile Award” which was awarded on customer votes alone.
For more information on Simply Be visit http://www.simplybe.co.uk/.
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