Businesses large and small came together to celebrate their successes at this year's Mercury Retailer Awards.
The winners in various categories up for grabs - which included the customer experience gong for those who go above and beyond to serve their patrons' needs and the visual merchandising accolade for the "most fabulous looking" shop - were announced at an event at the Ye Olde Plough House in Upminster on September 28.
Some awards were decided by public vote, while others were judged by The Mercury shopping centre's management team.
Havering's mayor Trevor McKeever, who attended, told the Recorder: "It's an absolutely fantastic event.
"Everybody needs recognition and we have been through really tough times in the pandemic. We are coming out of that now and there are all the people who did jobs that didn't get noticed, that went the extra mile to make others' jobs easier, who need to be recognised."
He said every person is an important cog in the machine.
There was a three-course meal and entertainment at the event, including from magician Trevor Cline and acts from Phina Circus and Dance.
Cleaner Kim Page won the Peter Callagher Award of Excellence, which is dedicated to its namesake, who was formerly The Mercury's centre manager before he died.
When presenting the "special award", Spencer Hawken - now centre manager at The Mercury - explained its significance.
"In 1996, Peter came to me in Debenhams and he said 'please will you let me manage the Ilford store?' And I said 'not a chance', because I am nice like that," Spencer joked.
He continued: "But he persuaded me he was the ideal person to fit the role and sure enough, he was...Step forward to 2012 and Peter unfortunately got cancer."
In his speech, Spencer paid tribute to Peter for helping him in his life.
Kim, who has been a cleaner at The Mercury for five years, said: "It's amazing, it's nice to get recognition for something you do - rarely that happens."
Storky Baby and Childrenswear won two awards on the night - the ingenuity award for out-of-the-box thinking and the small retailer of the year, which was sponsored by the Recorder.
It is a family business which started on Romford Market 27 years ago by mum Caron Webb, with daughter Nicole joining her on the team four years ago.
Caron said: "We're overwhelmed - the small business award means the most to us because of how hard we work as a family-run business."
She added: "It's our life, we put everything into it, we love what we do and we work well together."
Chyna Edwards, supervisor in The Entertainer, was named shining star of the year.
She told the Recorder this comes soon before her move to the Ilford branch to be assistant manager.
Pauline Walker, sales assistant in the shop, praised Chyna: "We are all really sorry to see her go but she will rise to the challenge and do really well in her career."
The owner of Ella Bella’s, former singer Ellie McCoy, was given the visual merchandising gong.
"We try to be different and eye catching and I think that's why we have won," she said. "Everything about it [the award] is amazing."
She started the business alongside her performing job, but told the Recorder she soon realised there was an untapped niche providing clothing for children in a traditional Spanish style.
Other winners were BB's Coffee and Muffins with the M-Eco award for highlighting the importance of environmental impact; Bonmarché with the customer experience accolade; McDonald's, which was named large retailer of the year; and Wilko in the community recognition category.
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