Asian Trader Awards - Trading Success
16-11-2009
MORE than 1,000 people saluted the cream of the nation’s shopkeepers at the spectacular 21st Asian Trader Awards.
Several winners from years gone by were at the glittering ceremony which celebrates the achievements of the nation’s independent retail store owners ever year.
Before the awards and the fourcourse dinner, a group of 20 people who played a leading part in the establishment of the Asian Trader magazine and its award ceremonies took centre stage to cut a special birthday cake.
Compere and TV presenter Hardip Singh Kholi urged the audience to indulge in an “Indian-style” rendering of Happy Birthday.
On a more serious note, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson was the chief guest and vowed that he would do everything he could to protect store owners from violence and intimidation.
“You have the right to trade without violence or the fear of violence,” he told the audience of business leaders, entrepreneurs and independent retailers gathered at the Grosvenor House in London on Tuesday (3).
Sir Paul also saluted the hard work and dedication of Asian shopkeepers who continue to dominate the sector, especially in the London area. He noted that 70 per cent of them were from an Asian background.
More than £40,000 in total prize money was distributed to the 13 individual winners – with the Asian Trader of the Year receiving £10,000.
In his keynote welcoming address, Kalpesh Solanki, managing editor of Asian Trader, said the independent retail store sector had changed the face of the High Street, and despite competition from supermarket metro stores, had managed not only to survive but prosper too.
Raj Samani who runs a Budgens store in Bushey, Hertforshire, walked away with the coveted title of Asian Trader of the Year. The judging panel said his shop showed the face of the convenience store in the 21st century – a huge range of products superbly displayed, competitively priced and well managed by professional, friendly and trained staff.
Samani had turned around a store losing money under corporate owners to one making a profit with a turnover today of more of £50,000 a week.
OTHER AWARD WINNERS
Sunny Hundal, Budgens, York: Enterprise award sponsored by Mars
Kash Jaffar, Budgens, Milton Keynes: Health & Beauty Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Ceuta Healthcar
Nizam Patel, Darnall Service Station, Darnall, South Yorkshire: Food to Go Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Kepak Convenience Foods
Sunder Sandher, S&S Londis, Leamington Spa: Customer Champion, sponsored by PepsiCo UK:
Mandeep Singh, Premier, Sheffield: Newcomer of the Year, sponsored by Warburtons
Nilesh Joshi, Cans UK Ltd, Forest Hill, London: Independent Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Booker Cash & Carry
Hanif and Noreen Patel, Dewsbury Post Office: Post Office Excellence Award, sponsored by The Post Office
Rav Garcha, Nisa Local, Shrewsbury: Asian Trader Category Champion Award, sponsored by Nestle UK
Pratik Sampat, Fosdicks, Penge, London: News Retailer of the Year Award sponsored by News International
Najib Khan, Costcutter, Southwark Bridge Road, Southwark, London: Healthcare Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Strepsils
Booker Sheffield, Wholesale Depot of the Year, sponsored by Japan Tobacco International (JTI)
Abdul Majid, Hounslow Service Station Mace, west London: Spirit of the Community Award, sponsored by Cadbury’s
