Wendover shop crowned at Convenience Retailer of the Year 2022 awards

Sweeney’s Budgens on Wendover High Street was voted the Community Retailer of the Year at a ceremony recognising the best retailers in the nation.

Judges recognised the Aylesbury Vale shop as an outlet that employs people that help tackle community issues.

Also as a business that has links to its community beyond the typical retailer-customer relationship.

Judges were encouraged to vote for a business that has made an investment into its local community be that financial or by other means.

Another point of emphasis for shortlisted businesses was proof they employed people from the area.

Evidence of work with local charities was also welcomed.

Dary Sweeney, the Chiltern Stores Ltd owner, was on hand to pick up the award on behalf of the Wendover High Street store.

Awards were handed out at an event at The Londoner Hotel on Tuesday (13 September).

Television presenter and activist, Katie Piper took on hosting duties and handed over Sweeney’s Budgens’ prize.

Premier Singh’s Teynham, a shop in Sheffield, ran by a team of brothers won the overall Independent Convenience Store of the Year gong.

The store, which also won the Independent Convenience Store of the Year category, was praised by judges for work done on key areas including drinks, vaping and food to go as well as building strong connections with local suppliers to ensure they retain quality and freshness.

Other winners at the event were Hazel Ridge of Bassett’s Londis in Weymouth, who picked up the award for Rising Star of the Year and Lisa James of Beddau Spar Store, Pontypridd who won Sales Colleague of the Year.

Editor of ConvenienceStore.co.uk, which organises the yearly ceremony, Aidan Fortune, praised all of the finalists and category winners, saying: “The standard of entries was so high this year and the judging panel had a difficult job of cutting down so many excellent stores to our finalists. Even harder than that was deciding on winners. The work that the Singhs have done to refit the store and make use of every piece of space available has been fantastic, and the uplift in sales reflects that.”