The Retas 2011 winners revealed

Gifts and Greetings Review was delighted to attend The Retas (greetings card retail) awards at The Dorchester hotel yesterday, where the glamorous Park Lane hotel was transformed into a 194os-themed ‘Ballroom Blitz’ event.

Congratulations to awards organiser Max Publishing for staging such a friendly and enjoyable awards ceremony.

The Greeting Card Retailer of the Year (sponsored by The Art File) was won by Bijou, Elgin, which also scooped the Almanac Gallery-sponsored award for Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, Scotland.

Many thanks also to our host for the event, the organiser of Spring and Autumn Fair International, sponsor of the award for Best Greeting Card Retail Newcomer, won by Really Fab Cards, Eton.

The rest of the winners are as follows:

Employee of the Year, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, won by Pauline Downs of Squires Garden Centre, West Horsley.

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, London, sponsored by the Stationery Show, won by Classic Collections, East Sheen

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, Home Counties, sponsored by Paperlink, won by From the Heart, Hungerford

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, East Anglia, sponsored by International Greetings

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, South West, sponsored by Thorntons, won by Forget Me Not, Stubbington

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, Wales and Midlands, sponsored by Second Nature, won by Daisy Chain Gift Company, Stratford upon Avon (pictured)

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, North & Northern Ireland, sponsored by UK Greetings, won by Unit 7 Cards & Gifts, Manchester

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer, Scotland, sponsored by The Almanac Gallery, won by Bijou, Elgin

Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards, sponsored by Pigment Productions, won by Spirito, Glasgow

Best Greeting Card Small Multiple, sponsored by the Great British Card Company, won by Between the Lines

Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards, sponsored by Hotchpotch Publishing, won by Harrods, London

Best Supermarket Retailer of Greeting Cards, sponsored by Woodmansterne, son by Waitrose

Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards, sponsored by UK Greetings, won by Paperchase

Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards, sponsored by Progressive Greetings Live, won by Card Bar

Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards, sponsored by Noel Tatt, won by Frosts, Woburn Sands

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer Initiative, sponsored by Wishing Well Studios, won by Mantons Card & Toy Store, Isle of Man

Best Multiple Greeting Card Retailer Initiative, sponsored by Cherry Orchard Publishing, won by Clinton Cards

Best Greeting Card Service Based Wholesaler, sponsored by Regent, won by Paul White