Rochdale Town Centre Business Awards 2009

Debbie O'Brien at the Rochdale Town Centre Management Business Awards 2008

The Rochdale Town Centre Business Awards, which have been running since 2007, focus on and reward Rochdale town centre’s Unique Selling Point, which is customer service. This initiative was set-up by Rochdale Town Centre Management Company in response to comments received that Rochdale businesses provide friendly, personal and professional service and thus the people of Rochdale should be proud of their town.

The first section of the awards are based on the ‘Mystery Customer’ visits that have been taking place over the last few weeks in many different town centre businesses including shops, bars, restaurants, banks, travel agents and more. Over 100 business have volunteered to be part of the Awards process, many of which have seen the benefits to being involved in previous years. Rochdale Town Centre Management are working with a Market Research organization to carry out a mystery shopping programme of visits. Each business has been visited by one of the researchers who reported on their experience with reference to seven key areas including Staff Approach, Customer Service, Staff Image and their Overall Satisfaction, to provide a store rating for that business. The results of these reports will then be compared in order to determine the winners and runners up of each award.

There will be a separate award for ‘Employee of the Year’. This will involve Managers and members of the public nominating town centre workers for their exceptional customer service skills. These will then be shortlisted and put to the public vote in the coming weeks, on Rochdale Online and in the Rochdale Observer.

For each award, the businesses are in with a chance of winning £500, which is funded for by the sponsor of each award. This year, Rochdale Town Centre Management has stipulated that the prize money must be spent in the town centre, in order to support local business. The Award categories are as follows:

• Best Business Overall – sponsored by the Pride Partnership
• Best National Retailer – sponsored by the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre
• Best Independent Retailer – sponsored by Rochdale Development Agency
• Best Service Provider – sponsored by Storecheckers
• Best Food Retailer -
• Employee of the Year – sponsored by Rochdale Online
• Rochdale Ambassador – sponsored by Ladies Only Ltd
• Best Long Serving Business - sponsored by Rochdale Town Centre Management
• Best Bar None – Pub Category – sponsored by the Rochdale Safer Communities Partnership
• Best Bar None - Best Bar/Club - sponsored by Rochdale Safer Communities Partnership
• Best Bar None - Best Overall – sponsored by Rochdale Borough Council Licensing

Rochdale Borough Council has confirmed that they will be sponsoring the Business Awards.

Councillor Alan Taylor, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: "We’re delighted to be sponsoring the town centre awards again this year. Times are really hard for local firms at the moment but we have some great companies who are doing well and even bucking the national trend in some cases too. We’re doing all we can to support businesses and awards like these are a great way to make sure excellent local service is recognised and highlighted.” 

In 2007 and 2008, the awards were presented at a lavish ceremony at China City in Rochdale, which was a celebration of all the hard work that local businesses do. This years Award Ceremony will be taking place in September, in a secret location.
Debbie O’Brien, Rochdale Town Centre Manager said: “The Business Awards have proven to be a great success in recent years in boosting the morale of the business owners and town centre works. This year, in the midst of all the doom and gloom, more than ever they need to know that they have the support of the public, the Council and Town Centre Management, and this is our opportunity to do just that. The feedback we’ve had from those involved in the past has been absolutely phenomenal and we hope this year will be no different.”

Jayne Warcaba, Owner of Bar 5 and winner of Best Food Retailer 2008 said “We were absolutely delighted when we won the award last year, and since then we have reaped the rewards. The publicity we received as a result was fantastic and its really exciting to be able to say we are currently the Best Food Retailer in Rochdale!”

Keep your eye out for more details coming very soon, including your chance to nominate and vote for a town centre staff member for the ‘Employee of the Year Award 2009’.

For more information please contact Town Centre Management on 01706 926676.