Port Erin's Mantons Cards has been selected as a finalist in The British Small Business Awards, their seventh major final of the year.
The greeting card and gift specialists impressed the judges who said, “Mantons is a retailer that has shown a combination of factors including growing sales over the past year, a niche position in its industry, longevity, and outstanding innovation.
Independent retailers face a host of challenges in today’s business landscape. As a small retailer today, you must ensure you keep up to date with technology trends, from point of sale systems to effective online merchandising, to boost user experience and keep your customers coming back.
High street-only operators have the additional challenge, of course, of having to compete with online rivals as well and entice their customers into their stores. All of the candidates in our new Retail Business of the Year category have shown innovation and a real knowledge of their market to grow revenues and forge successful paths in a cut-throat landscape.”
"After a difficult start to the year (due to the road closures caused by the re-generation of Port Erin), this is a fantastic motivation for the Mantons team and hopefully helps to show that Port Erin is back and open for business" commented owner Chris Beards.
"After winning The British Independent Retailer of the Year Award, everyone at Mantons is delighted to be named as a British Small Business of the Year Finalist, especially as we are the only Manx company to ever achieve this honour. This is well deserved recognition for all our team's hard work and commitment to help our customers, which is something all of the us at Mantons take pride in".
"It is fantastic to be recognised by these awards that appreciate the challenge of High Street retailing, especially as 2017 is Mantons 30th Anniversary year. I believe that the whole Mantons Team should be incredibly proud as they really are the unsung heroes of our success " continued Chris.
The Awards recognises the brightest stars of the SME business scene. across the British Isles and judges include Apprentice winner Dr Leah Totton and the founder of Capita Sir Rod Aldridge.
Since 2010 Mantons has won sixteen national awards including the British Independent Retailers Association's 'Independent Retailer of the Year', plus being named as one of the top 100 small businesses in the UK in 2015 and winning the BIRA Hero Award for fundraising and community work in 2016.
The winners of this year’s prestigious awards, will be revealed at an awards ceremony on 1st November at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London so everyone at Mantons will be hoping its seventeenth time lucky.
Photo - Mantons shop front.
