Organised by Progressive Housewares magazine in conjunction with bira, the Awards night took place at the Royal Lancaster London where 400 movers and shakers of the housewares industry gathered to celebrate into the early hours. The theme of of the night was 80s Electric Dreams, with a mix of glamour, big hair, nostalgia and fun. The Awards host was stand-up comedian and comedy writer, Tania Edwards.
Jo Howard, editor of Progressive Housewares and HousewaresNews.net commented: “The 19th Excellence in Housewares Awards night has been a fantastic celebration of the hard work, inventiveness, innovation and dedication of our industry’s retailers and suppliers. Our 80s Electric Dreams theme added extra sparkle and a nostalgic glow to what is widely regarded as the industry event of the year.”
The Excellence in Housewares Awards 2018 Winners are:
Retail Employee of the Year: Sue Stone, manager, Dinghams, Winchester
Most Promising Newcomer: House UK
Excellence in Direct Retailing: Harts of Stur
Excellence in Retail Training: Borough Kitchen
Excellence in Retail Display – Independent: Potters Cookshop, Hockley
Excellence in Retail Display – Multiple or Department Store: Harrods
Excellence in Retailer Initiative: Hobbs the Kitchen Shop, Penzance
Excellence in Non-Specialist Multiple Retailing: Blue Diamond Group
Excellence in Specialist Retailing (Multiple and Large Independents): Steamer Trading Cookshop
Best Department Store – Independent: Dawsons, Skipton and Clitheroe
Best Department Store – Multiple Branch or Group Member: Fenwick, Brent Cross
Bira Cookshop and Housewares Retailer of the Year: Potters Cookshop, Hockley
Winner of the Oxford Summer School Prize: Steamer Trading
gia UK Winner 2018-2019: Potters Cookshop
Excellence in Cookware: Stellar Rocktanium Cookware from Horwood Homewares
Top Tool or Gadget Award: Barista & Co Brew It Stick from Nixxee
The Plugged-In Award: Baking Bamix from Burton McCall
Cutting Edge Award: Signature Q Knife Block Range from Robert Welch Designs
Excellence in Homewares: Mepal Cirqula Multi Bowl from Mistral Brands
Top of the Table Award: Drift Barware Collection from Robert Welch Designs
Innovation in Product Award: Flex and Flex Plus Toilet Brushes from Joseph Joseph
Icon Award: Thermos Flasks from UK Thermos
Excellence in Innovation Award: Joseph Joseph
Excellence in Marketing Award: Le Creuset UK
Excellence in Service Award: Horwood Homewares
Honorary Achievement Award: Alan Hawkins