Hunters of Helmsly named Best Small Shop in the UK

By Richard Siddle

Published: 26 February, 2015

Hunters of Helmsley, the Yorkshire deli and fine wine merchants, is the 2015 winner of the Best Small Shop Competition.

The owners, Chris and Christine Garnett, along with all the other finalists in the competition, were able to celebrate at the House of Commons yesterday at the awards ceremony.

The Garnetts received their prize from Simon Danczuk MP, chairman of the All Party Small Shops Group which runs the competition with the Independent Retailers Confederation.

He said of the winners: "Hunters of Helmsley was chosen by the judges for its local sourcing of produce, organisation of events to support their high street and their use of social media to engage customers."

Hunters of Helmsley has been running since 1990, and was taken over by the Garnetts in 2008.

The Nisa Local convenience store in Toddington and the Main Street Trading Company, a bookshop and deli, were highly commended in the competition.

In a statement the judging panel said: "There is no doubt that independent retail is in the hands of creative, innovative, business-savvy individuals who are committed to making their local high street a better place. We congratulate all the shortlisted businesses and thank all the retailers who took the time to showcase their shops."

The Best Small Shops Competition is sponsored by PayPoint and Tictail

The finalists in the competition were:

The shortlisted candidates for the Best Small Shop Competition are included below and further information is available via www.bestsmallshops.uk.

Belhaven Bikes, Dunbar, East Lothian

Booka Bookshop, Oswestry, Shropshire

Cocoa Amore, Leicester, Leicestershire

Elite meat, Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Heath Stores Horsmonden, Tonbridge, Kent

Hunters of Helmsley, Helmsley, North Yorkshire (Winner)

Ilsington Village Shop, Ilsington, Devon

Jet Wheel Tyre, Benfleet, Essex

Kirkcowan Cycles, Newton Stewart, Dumfries & Galloway