Electrical retailers and manufacturers celebrate at ERT Industry Awards 2009

Reinforcing its position as the electrical retailing industry’s event of the year, the ERT Industry Awards took place in London on October 15, with retailers and manufacturers from all over the UK coming together to celebrate excellence and outstanding achievements in the electrical retailing sector.

The awards are in their second year and are aimed at raising standards among retailers and recognising the efforts of manufacturers.

Winners this year included Julian Richer, founder of hi-fi retail chain Richer Sounds, who picked up the Special Achievement Award for his services to the industry.

Manufacturers who scooped awards included Sony, Samsung, Miele and Hotpoint.

With a record-breaking number of entries, more than 200 people attended the sell-out lunchtime event.

It was twice the size of last year’s awards and was held at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel on the Albert Embankment in London.

The ceremony, which was hosted by award-winning comedian Jim Tavaré and ERT's online editor Sean Hannam, was divided into two sections – the Retailer Awards and Manufacturer Awards.

In the Retailer Awards section, independent and multiple electrical retailers were asked to nominate themselves in various categories, while in the Manufacturer section, distributors, retailers and manufacturers could all take part in the nomination process.

Nominations were then whittled down to a shortlist of finalists by a panel of judges made up of industry experts.

New for 2009 was the ERT Readers’ Choice Award, which recognised one company, brand or service that best supported the electrical retailing business during the past 12 months.

This award was won by Sony UK for the efforts of its managing director Steve Dowdle in helping to launch a credit insurance top-up scheme for retailers during the recession.

“It was wonderful to see the whole industry coming together to celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement in the electrical retailing sector. The ERT Industry Awards forms part of ERT’s drive to recognise and reward excellence in our marketplace. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event.  Only in their second year, the ERT Industry Awards have already established themselves as the premier event in the electrical retailing calendar,” said Stephen Blakebrough, ERT’s group publishing manager.

Mr Blakebrough then went on to thank the event sponsors for their support – Sony, Vogel's, LG, Omnimount, Astra, S & C Products, Intellect, AVF, Philips, Amdea, Freeview, Retra, GfK, KBB Space, Retra, Domestic & General and Redkite Appliances.

Full list of winners

Retailer Awards

Best Independent Store
G Craggs, Boroughbridge

Best Multiple Store
Apple Store, Liverpool

Best CIH Member
Michael R Peters, Bedford

Best White Goods Retailer
Carters Domestic Appliances, Brighton

Best Brown Goods Retailer
Sony Centre, Hereford

Best Hi-Fi Retailer
Roger Green Sound & Vision, Worthing

Best Satellite Retailer
F E Electronics, St Helier

Best Accessories Retailer
Stand & Deliver, Paddock Wood

Best Independent Salesperson
Jamie O’Rourke, Sony Centre, Hereford

Best Multiple Salesperson
Bernard Meason, John Lewis
Home and Leisure, High Wycombe

Special Achievement Award
Julian Richer, Richer Sounds

Manufacturer Awards

White Goods Product of the Year
Hotpoint Openspace Oven

Brown Goods Product of the Year
Samsung 7020 LED TV range

Small Appliance Product of the Year
Miele S7 vacuum cleaner

Accessories Product of the Year
Alphason Viewsmart

Innovation Award
Sony Reader

Training Award
Top Level Solutions

The ERT Readers’ Choice Award
Sony