Chester BID announces the city’s best businesses

Chester city centre businesses gathered together to celebrate the winners of the annual Chester BID Customer Service Awards at the Cathedral (Tuesday, October 19th).

The awards, introduced by Chester’s Business Improvement District in 2015, recognise Chester’s shops, restaurants, bars, independent retailers and other businesses that take the time to make the customer’s experience exceptional.

Nominated online by the public, the awards cover 16 different categories, including ‘Best Independent Business’ and ‘Best Large Retailer’. The retailers and outlets that received the most votes from the public were visited by judges to determine the overall winner for each category.

Among the winners on the night was Watergate Street Gallery, which has twice been a runner and has now won the ‘Best Independent Retailer’ award for the first time.

Newcomers to the awards, Marmalade, on Northgate picked up the title of ‘Best Coffee Shop / Cafe’.

Another newcomer, The Hotel Chester was noted for its exceptional customer service in the category, ‘Best Hotel / B&B’, and winning the ‘Best of Grosvenor Shopping Centre’ was Whitewall Galleries.

Marks & Spencer won ‘Best Large Retailer’ (21 Staff or more) for the third time, whilst Lush picked up the accolade for ‘Small Retailer (20 staff or fewer)’.

Storyhouse won the ‘Best Travel and Leisure’ award. Further winners included The Scented Garden Retreat in the ‘Health & Beauty services’ category, as well as Fatface, which picked up the award for ‘Small Fashion Retailer’.

Jaunty Goat’s newest venture, Jaunty Goat Bakery was recognised with the award for ‘Best Food On The Go’, whilst ‘Best Restaurant’ went to newcomers from Japanese restaurant Hamayuu and ‘Best Pub, Bar and Club’ was awarded to Bar Lounge.

Lloyds Bank were presented with the ‘Best Professional Services’ award.

Three new awards were introduced this year. ‘Best Market Trader’ went to The Cheese Wedge and the ‘Sustainability Award’ sponsored by Chester Zoo was given to Jaunty Goat, in recognition of how they manage fair wages to farmers at source and their work with carbon neutral companies.

A ‘Special Award’ sponsored by Chester Business Club was also introduced to recognise exceptional customer service achievements. This was awarded to Shrub who not only began their business during the initial lockdown, but also broke down barriers to create a creative al fresco dining space and represented Chester’s hospitality industry on TV, print and radio as part of the city’s Chester Together campaign.

Carl Critchlow, BID Manager at Chester BID, said: “It is just fantastic to welcome back these awards and to recognise the hardworking businesses that make Chester such a special place to shop, dine and visit.”

“We introduced the awards at the beginning of our first term and they are now an integral part of the annual business calendar. After the challenging landscape the high street has faced over the Covid crisis, it is doubly important to us that we take the time to celebrate the businesses who have faced adversity with such determination, innovation and positivity.”

“It is of course, the people within these businesses that make customer’s experiences so special, and the same people who make our city so welcoming and popular with Cestrians and tourists alike.”

Winners 2021 CSA’s – list and order for event 

1. BEST: Coffee Shop/Cafe 

WINNER              Marmalade 

RUNNER UP     The Flower Cup 

RUNNER UP     The Jaunty Goat 

2. BEST: Food on the Go 

WINNER              Jaunty Goat Bakery 

RUNNER UP        Planet Doughnut 

RUNNER UP        Chatwins            

3. BEST: Restaurant 

WINNER              Hamayuu 

RUNNER UP        Ristorante Sergio 

RUNNER UP        Chez Jules 

4. BEST: Pubs, Bars and Clubs 

WINNER              BarLounge 

RUNNER UP        Paysan 

RUNNER UP        Dublin Packet 

5. BEST: Small Retailer (20 staff or less) 

WINNER              Lush 

RUNNER UP        Waterstones 

RUNNER UP        Hotel Chocolat 

6. BEST: Small Fashion Retailer (20 staff or fewer) 

WINNER              Fatface 

RUNNER UP        The White Company 

RUNNER UP        Dr Martens 

7.  BEST: Independent Retailer (fewer than 5 branches) 

WINNER              Watergate Street Gallery 

RUNNER UP        Just Footprints 

RUNNER UP        Weasel and the Bug 

8. BEST: Large Retailer (21 or more staff) 

WINNER              Marks & Spencer 

RUNNER UP        Wilko 

RUNNER UP        Boots Foregate Street 

9. BEST: Health and Beauty Services 

WINNER              The Scented Garden Retreat 

RUNNER UP        Scissors 

RUNNER UP        The Body Shop 

10. BEST: Professional Services 

WINNER              Lloyds 

RUNNER UP        Natwest 

RUNNER UP        Halifax 

11. BEST: Travel & Leisure 

WINNER              Storyhouse 

RUNNER UP        Breakout Chester 

RUNNER UP        Sick to Death 

12. BEST: Hotel / B&B 

WINNER              The Hotel Chester 

RUNNER UP        The Chester Grosvenor 

RUNNER UP        Pied Bull 

13. BEST: Chester Market Trader 

WINNER              The Cheese Wedge 

RUNNER UP        Geoff Hughes Family Butcher 

RUNNER UP        Death by Tacos 

14. BEST of Grosvenor Shopping Centre

WINNER              Whitewall Galleries 

RUNNER UP        Kayes Jewellers 

RUNNER UP        Jewellery by Design 

15: The Special Award 

WINNER              Shrub 

16: Sustainability Champion 

WINNER                                            Jaunty Goat 

HONOURABLE MENTION              Just Footprints 

HONOURABLE MENTION              Shrub 

HONOURABLE MENTION              Base Architects 

HONOURABLE MENTION              Weasel & The Bug 

HONOURABLE MENTION              Lush