Business Awards

The Rochdale Town Centre Business Awards are returning for 2010/2011. The Awards are now in their fourth year and focus on rewarding good customer service in our varied town centre businesses. National retailers, independent retailers, restaurants, bars, cafes, beauty salons, hairdressers and many more take part in the initiative each year, which was set up by Rochdale Town Centre Management in 2007.

This year the Awards process has changed slightly as it will involve three separate stages. Firstly, we have encouraged local businesses to self-nominate. The deadline for entries has now passes. 

Following the application process, all businesses have been ‘mystery shopped’ and scored on various aspects of their mystery shopper’s experience, such as staff approach, customer service and staff image.

Additionally members of the public are currently able to vote for their favourite shop in each of the Award categories in the Rochdale Observer and on Rochdale Online.  Check out Saturday editions of the Rochdale Observer or click here to vote online now. 

A panel of judges will then meet to take all this into consideration before short listing the finalists and choosing the winners. The fact that there are 3 elements to this year’s Awards (Application Form, Mystery Shopping and Public Vote) will ensure that each business will be given a fair opportunity to shine.

The Best Bar None Awards will also be taking place this year, and town centre venues are currently undergoing an intense assessment from Council Officers.

Awards Process and Timescales:
Deadline for Self Nomination - Early March
Mystery Shopping Visits take place – March/April
Public Vote – April
Judging by Expert Panel – Late April
Awards Ceremony – 13th May

The ceremony will take place on Friday 13 May at The Broadfield Park Hotel.  Tickets are available from the Rochdale Town Centre Management office on 01706926676 and are allocated firstly to businesses who are taking part, and then to the general public. 

Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre, Rochdale Development Agency, Rochdale Borough Council, the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre and Rochdale Observer have all come forward to sponsor and support the Awards this year.

In recent years the awards have been presented at a lavish ceremony in September, which is 2007 and 2008, took place at China City in Rochdale and was a fantastic event for all involved. In 2009, Rochdale Town Hall was turned into a Bollywood extravaganza for the evening; read the news item here.

In 2007 110 businesses took part in this voluntary scheme, and in 2008 this figure went up to 120.

In 2008 and 2009, in addition to the mystery shopping program, Town Centre Management (in partnership with GMP, RMBC Licensing, RMBC Community Safety and the Fire Service) will also be running the Best Bar None scheme to judge the bars, clubs and pubs in the town centre. This scheme aims to reward licensees who provide good management, a safe and enjoyable environment for customers, discourage binge drinking and prevent alcohol-related crime. It encourages licensees to act responsibly and take pride in their premises and surroundings and, in doing so, put something back into the Town and their local community. Many of the town centre businesses volunteered to be part of the scheme in order gain accreditation. For more information visit the Best Bar None section of the website.

For more information email suzy@rochdaletcm.co.uk.