With just over a month until this year’s Excellence in Housewares Awards, which is co-hosted by Progressive Housewares and bira, tensions are building to see who will be named as bira-Cookshop and Housewares Retailer of the Year.

In the running for Retailer of the Year 2017 are bira members Art of Living, Banstead, Cobham and Reigate; Barnitts, York; The Kitchen Range,Market Harborough; Lords At Home, six stores in the London area; Potters Cookshop, Hockley and Trevor Mottram, Tunbridge Wells.

The Awards will be presented at the vintage Paris themed night at The Lancaster, London on October 4

“The strong line-up of finalists echo the commitment and talent that is in abundance in the housewares retail sector,” said editor of Progressive Housewares magazine Jo Howard. “Independents and multiples alike have pulled out the stops to ensure that the public’s appetite for housewares products continues to be whetted.

“In an increasingly competitive market it is so important to celebrate and reward outstanding and proactive housewares retailers from across the retail spectrum.”

Members nominated for Retail Employee of the Year include Rob Falconer, buyer, Steamer Trading; Alison Hobbs, visual merchandiser, Potters Cookshop, Hockley; Maureen Hooker, retail sales manager, Bakers and Larners of Holt; Lesley Murray, housewares manager, Highland Industrial Supplies, Inverness; Nick Timmins, concession manager, Admiral, Walsall; and Mary Wallace, supervisor of the Cook Shop at Rejects, Kirkcaldy.

Nominations for the most promising newcomer are Jupes Cookshop, Melton Mowbray; Kerrys, Lowestoft; Luxe Cookshop, Northampton; Prep Cookshop, Stoke Newington; Rye Cookshop, Rye; and Wooden Spoon Cookshop, Leek.

Members nominated for excellence in retail display (independent) are Abraxas, Banbury, Northampton, Rugby and Weedon; Bents Garden & Home, Glazebury; Borough Kitchen, London; Kitchen Range, Market Harborough; Potters, Hockley; and Webbs of Tenterden.