Representatives from Ormeau Road Business Association pictured with (L-R) Glyn Roberts, Retail NI CEO; Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA; Gary McDonald, Irish News Business Editor; Aisling Press, Managing Director of Personal Banking at Danske Bank.
Ormeau Road has scooped the prestigious High Street of the Year, battling High Streets across Northern Ireland for the coveted prize. Thousands of votes were cast for Retail NI’s High Street Heroes campaign, with old favourites and new faces picking up gold, silver, and bronze. The initiative shone a light on Northern Ireland’s independent retailers, with the public choosing their favourite retailers.
Belfast had huge success in the campaign picking up eight awards this year, including Off-Licence of the Year and two awards for Deli of the Year.
Crawfords of Maghera picked up the sought-after Overall Retailer of the Year, as well as Convenience Store of the Year and Community Covid-19 Champion.
Retailers across the region were celebrated, with Brolly’s Butchers in Cloughmills, McCrum’s Motorcycles in Portadown, and Newcastle’s Wraps Fashion all picking up gold.
High Street Heroes NI was a joint campaign from Retail NI and the Irish News supported by Camelot and Translink. The awards come as retailers are preparing for the roll out of the High Street Voucher Scheme.
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA said:
“I am thrilled to see so many great retailers acknowledged in the High Street Heroes campaign. The support for independent retailers proves how important they are to their local communities.
“Retailers have shown a huge amount of determination over the past year and should be immensely proud of their work. It is great to see Ormeau Road pick up the High Street of the Year, which is a testament to all the fantastic independent retailers in our towns and cities.”
Retail NI Chief Executive, Glyn Roberts said:
“The High Street Heroes campaign has been a wonderful celebration of Northern Ireland’s independent retailers. The winners are based across Northern Ireland showing a brilliant regional response to the campaign and emphasising the community support for the retailers.
“It has been a very difficult year for independent retailers, but this campaign has shone a light on how valued they are in their community. I hope the roll out of the High Street Voucher Scheme will continue to boost support for our independent retailers.”