Gifts & Greetings Review was delighted to attend The Retas awards for excellence in greetings card retailing, held on Wednesday July 9 at London’s Dorchester hotel.
The vintage travel-themed event, organised by Max Publishing, was very well attended by card publishers and their retailer guests, who all enjoyed some great entertainment from comedian Rob Deering, host for the day.
The coveted accolade of Greeting Card Retailer of the Year was presented to small multiple category winner M&P cards, owned by Terry Harvey. Sales director Jane Chandler collected the well-deserved trophy that she was thrilled to receive. The full list of winners is as follows:
- Greeting Card Retail Employee of the Year: Annie Lovstav, manager of To Be Established, Highbury, London
- Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – London:Paper Art, Finchley
- Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Home Counties: The Gorgeous Gift & Card Company, Biggleswade
- Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – East Anglia: First Class Greetings, Hadleigh
- Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – South West: Occasions Cards & Gifts, Fareham
- Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Wales & The Midlands: The Card Emporium, Malvern
- Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – North & Northern Ireland:Celebrations, Carlisle
- Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Scotland: Conochies, Lerwick
- Best Greeting Card Newcomer – South: Red Card, Petworth
- Best Greeting Card Newcomer – North: Austin & Co, Malvern
- Best Independent Bookstore Retailer of Greeting Cards: Bookends of Christchurch, Christchurch
- Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – North:The Hollies Farm Shop, Little Budworth and Lower Stretton
- Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – South: Wincanton Post Office, Wincanton
- Best Greeting Card Small Multiple: iCandy Cards & Gifts
- Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards: Jarrolds, Norwich
- Best Supermarket Retailer of Greeting Cards: Asda
- Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards: Utility
- Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards: Cardzone
- Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards: The Klondyke Group
- Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative: Paperchase for its Impressmum for Mother’s Day viral video
- Best Greeting Card Wholesaler: Budget Greeting Cards
- Greeting Card Retailer of the Year: M&P Cards
